Avatar: Infection
by Marioninja1
Summary: Shinjiro, a dying firebender, meets Toph while chasing his only hope of a cure. Read and review, please, and yes, the summary sucks.
1. Chapter 1

A teenager with long, straight black hair walked alone on a well-used path. His hair covered his right eye, but the left side of his face was clearly showing. He was pale, like many other Fire Nation members, but seemed sickly, and had dark rings under his eyes. Black goggles were around his neck, and he would lift them over his eyes to protect his eyes when he used firebending. This teenager was Shinjiro, a bounty hunter. He wore basic grey-and-red Fire Nation clothes.

To his right Toph was walking alone, whistling. As fate would have it, Shinjiro wasn't focusing on what he was doing, and bumped into her.

"Watch it," Toph said.

"You watch it." Shinjiro said. Toph stomped on the ground, and a rock wall appeared in front of Shinjiro, nearly hitting him. Toph turned to him, and waved a hand in front of her eyes.

"I'm blind." Toph said.

"How do you know I'm not?" Shinjiro asked.

Toph took this as an insult, and lifted a rock from the ground and attempted to hit him in the head. Shinjiro spun around, dodging the rock and tossing flames at Toph. Toph brought up another wall, blocking the fires, then she kicked the wall forward. Shinjiro barely jumped out of the way before Toph raised another wall and smashed the two together.

Shinjiro tossed several fireballs in quick sucession, but Toph blocked all of them, though one nearly hit her. Shinjiro was about to use a stream of flame when he coughed. Though a small cough, it opened the door for a long fit of coughing, causing Shinjiro to fall on his hands and knees, red liquid dripping from his lips.

Toph momentarily forgot his perceived insults and said "What's wrong with you?"

Shinjiro stood, wiping the sweat and blood off of his forehead and lips. The sweat wasn't from the fight. "Nothing. I haven't had a fight that difficult in a while." Shinjiro bowed, then scolded himself, remembering Toph couldn't see it. "Where are you going?"

"I don't need your help just because I'm blind." Toph said.

"How do you cook?" Shinjiro asked.

"I don't. My food's already cooked, or just fruits and vegetables."

"Don't you want a cooked meal?"

"No." Toph said, then her stomach growled loudly.

"Your stomach says yes. Where are you going?" Shinjiro asked.

"Anywhere's fine. I want to go back to Ba Sing Se, but I can't read a map." Toph said.

"Ba Sing Se is the other way." Shinjiro said.

"Blind," Toph countered.

"I have no destination, so we should travel together." Shinjiro said.

"I sense that you're lying. Or, at least, not telling the whole truth," Toph said.

"I have a goal, but no destination. That isn't a lie."

"Huh. It isn't. How about you show me your firebending prowess and cook me a meal."

"It isn't dinner yet, and we don't know each other's names."

"Toph." Toph said, walking forward.

"Shinjiro." Shinjiro said. "Where are we going?"

"Ba Sing Se."

"You didn't turn around."

"I knew that."

"Right."

"What's your name?" Toph said, picking her nose.

"Shinjiro," Shinjiro said. "Bounty hunter and dying man."

"What are you dying from?" Toph asked.

"A waterbender poisoned me, and has the antidote. My goal is to take that antidote and her life." Shinjiro said.

"And if you don't get the antidote?"

"I'll be dead."

"Do you know where the waterbender is?"

"No."

"What's her name?"

"Kairi."

"Well, that's a start." Toph said sarcastically.

"Nothing will stop me in my hunt," Shinjiro said.

'Sounds like Zuko.' Toph thought, then said "I guess I'll help you if you get me to Ba Sing Se, Shin."

"'Shin?'" Shinjiro asked when Toph spit loudly into her palm.

"Shake on it." Toph said.

"A deal, hm?" Shinjiro asked, then spat into his palm and shook Toph's hand. Immediately after letting go he evaporated the mess that was on his hand. "Ba Sing Se first."

"Really?" Toph asked, smiling.

"Yes." Shinjiro said. "Follow me."

"I'm blind."

"But you can see using vibrations through the earth."

"How'd you know?" Toph asked.

"You accurately blocked my attacks. I won't underestimate you, nor will I treat you special." Shinjiro said. "As far as I'm concerned, you're a normal bender."

"Good." Toph said. "Lead on."

Shinjiro turned and walked, wondering if what he just did was a good idea.


	2. Chapter 2

"If this food is too spicy, I'll turn your bones to dust." Toph said.

"I ran out of spices miles back." Shinjiro answered, looking at Toph. She had made a small tent of rock, and was sitting cross-legged in it.

"Put the bowl on the ground," Toph instructed. Shinjiro did as she said, and wasn't surprised when she made a column of rock rise and bring the bowl to her.

"You're a good bender." Shinjiro said appreciatively, looking out into the darkness.

"Yep."

"Do you have family?"

"Do you?"

"No." Shinjiro said, shivering at the memory of his childhood.

"I have my family, so they don't count." Toph said bluntly. "Do you hate yours?"

"No. They were killed." Shinjiro said.

"Why aren't you dead?" Toph asked.

"It wasn't through lack of trying." Shinjiro said. "I'll find the man who killed my family after I get the antidote."

"Well, Ba Sing Se first." Toph said.

"I know. I'm a man of my word." Shinjiro said, then coughed. In truth, he was worried about this trip. It wasn't like him to do anything nice. He was known as 'The Ash Bounty Hunter' because, while most bounty hunters brought back the bounty alive, he brought back ash. He had never taken a single bounty alive, especially on water benders.

Shinjiro's family had been killed by Osa, a bloodbender, giving him a fear and hatred toward waterbenders. His mother, however, was an earthbender, giving him a respect towards earthbenders. Shinjiro was a good firebender, nearly a master, and even had a technique no one else had. Or, rather, no one else around had. He had learned it when he was five from his friend, Kyle.

_Kyle's brown bangs framed his face, and his bright green eyes were full of excitement. "Yo, Shins! When I say 'Furgie Furg, gonna love you long time,' you say 'oh snap!'"_

_ "Kyle, what are you talking about? And why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Shinjiro asked._

_ "Just do it!" Kyle said. Kyle was rumored to be insane, and sang many songs only he knew._

_ "Alright." Shinjiro said, as he had stopped arguing with Kyle months ago._

_ "Furgie furg gonna love you long time!" Kyle smiled._

_ "Oh snap...?" Shinjiro said._

_ "Don't mind if I do, Shins!" Kyle said, and snapped his fingers. Immediately, a column of flame shot young Shinjiro into the air. Kyle laughed insanely, and Shinjiro grabbed him by the shirt._

_ "That..." Shinjiro growled. "Was...Amazing!" Shinjiro laughed. "Teach me how to do that!"_

_ "You focus on the ground at someone's feet, right?" Kyle said. "Then you snap. It's like normal firebending, but uses less motion and looks cooler."_

_ "Ha-ha!" Shinjiro laughed. "You might be nuts, but you're a good firebender!"_

Shinjiro smiled.

"Why are you so happy all of the sudden?" Toph asked.

"Maybe it's just seeing your pretty face." Shinjiro said, remembering what Kyle had said to one of the teachers when she asked why he was smiling. Unbeknownst to him, Toph was sensitive about her looks, not knowing what she looked like. So she hit him with a rock, sending him flying. "What was that for!" Shinjiro wheezed, trying to stand, the air knocked from his lungs.

"Maybe I'm just happy I can't see your ugly face." Toph said, then burped loudly. "You're a pretty good cook."

"Not that I'll know." Shinjiro said, looking down at his broken bowl. "You threw my food onto the ground."

"So that's what that vibration was." Toph laughed.

Shinjiro sighed, then thought about what Toph said. She couldn't see his face, and Shinjiro wanted to help her out.

'Trying to do something good in your final days on earth?' Shinjiro wondered. 'Maybe.' He answered.

Toph snored loudly, and Shinjiro realized she was asleep.

'She's actually fairly cute when she's not trying to kill me.' Shinjiro thought. 'I wonder why she wants to go to Ba Sing Se. Better not worry about it. I'm sick enough without stress weakening me.'

Shinjiro got into his sleeping bag, yawned, and brushed the hair away from his right eye, revealing it's grey, hazy iris. Shinjiro's eye was blind since Kairi infected him, and Shinjiro hid it with his hair.

Shinjiro wondered 'Will I even be able to _walk_ when we get to Ba Sing Se? Even now, I feel the infection spreading. But I'll finish this and get that antidote. Nothing will stop me.'

**A/N: Kyle is actually from another fanfiction of mine, Naruto: Kyle's Story, and Osa is from Xan075's Avatar Fanfiction.**

**-MN1**


	3. Chapter 3

Shinjiro woke up to Toph tossing pebbles at his head.

"We need to get going." She said, then tossed another pebble.

Shinjiro got out of his sleeping bag, then rasped "I'm up."

"You sure you're okay?" Toph asked.

"I'm fine."

"I can tell when you lie, you know."

Shinjiro drank a mouthful of water, then spoke, his voice back to normal. "I wouldn't worry about me. We're going to pass through a small Earth Kingdom city."

"Alright," Toph said, not caring.

"It's Gaoling." Shinjiro said, and saw a wave of worry wash over Toph. Immediately after she began acting normally.

"So?" Toph asked.

"Nothing, Ms. Bei Fong." Shinjiro asked.

"How do you know my name?" Toph asked.

"There was a bounty on you. I didn't take it, and I realized it might've been you." Shinjiro said.

"How do you remember that?" Toph asked.

"I never forget a face." Shinjiro said, then, while picking up his backpack, said "We are going through a Earth Kingdom city, but not Gaoling."

"Why did you say it was Gaoling, then?" Toph asked, crossing her arms in front of her.

"To see how you would react." Shinjiro said. "Toph, we need to know more about each other. We both have enemies that may attack us, and I'm a burden."

"What do you mean you're a burden?" Toph asked, softening up slightly.

"I can barely fight without coughing up a lung and, to be honest, I feel guilty for making a deal with you when you'll be doing most of the work." Shinjiro said.

"What do you mean?"

"By the time we get to Ba Sing Se I'll barely be able to fight, since breathing is a large focus of firebending. You'll have to fight for me, and Kairi has a large amount of contacts. After we get to Ba Sing Se, you don't have to help me."

"Don't mope around so much," Toph said. "It's annoying. I've got some friends in Ba Sing Se, and they'll help us out. Now, tell me about you."

"Why?" Shinjiro asked.

"Hey, you know about me. I should know about you." Toph said, sitting down near Shinjiro and putting her legs out, resting on her arms.

"Alright," Shinjiro sighed. "My father was a firebender, and taught me basics. My mother was an earthbender, so I have respect for any and all earthbenders. I hate waterbenders, but respect strong people, not matter what they can or can't do. I feel regret for what I've done, and want to keep on living so I can right my wrongs. Happy?"

"Yep." Toph said, using a rock column to jump up. "Now, c'mon. We've got places to be, right?"

"I suppose so." Shinjiro said. "You're walking the wrong way."

"Then lead me the right way." Toph said.

Shinjiro began walking the correct way, and Toph followed.

"Wish we had Appa. I forgot how annoying carrying things is." Toph said.

"I'll carry your things." Shinjiro said.

"Because I'm blind?"

"No. Because you're my friend. At least, I think you are. I don't know what friends are like."

"You don't?" Toph asked.

"Nobody trusts a bounty hunter, and I was a bounty hunter since my family died. I had to get food one way, and I wasn't going to steal. I'm much too prideful," Shinjiro admitted.

"My family was rich, so I never worried about food." Toph said.

"My family was a normal family." Shinjiro remembered. "We weren't poor, but we weren't rich."

"My family always treated me like a blind girl who couldn't do anything." Toph said.

"They shouldn't have done that." Shinjiro said. "You're a better bender than I'll ever be with this..._thing_...growing inside of me."

"I thought you were poisoned." Toph said, blushing from Shinjiro's compliment.

"No. Kairi made a plant and I breathed in spores. It's slowly growing inside of me, killing me," Shinjiro said. "I'm not poisoned, I'm infected."

"Why'd Kairi infect you?"

"I killed her brother, a firebending murderer."

"So it was revenge?" Toph asked.

"Yes. And revenge begets revenge." Shinjiro sighed.

"You sigh too much," Toph said.

Shinjiro chuckled, surprising Toph. "I do, I suppose."


	4. Chapter 4

The two walked into the city, Shinjiro listing aloud what they needed.

"Supplies, some boots, and water." Shinjiro finished.

"I don't need shoes." Toph said.

"They're for me. My boots are falling apart." Shinjiro said. "If you needed shoes, you would tell me. If you ever need anything, tell me. I can't read people."

"Why not?" Toph asked.

"I don't know," Shinjiro said, and began another sentence when he was interrupted by a random salesman.

"Hello, young adults!" The salesman said robotically. Acting wasn't his forte. "You two look like an adorable couple! Do you want to take a look at my reasonably priced jewelry?"

"Stop shouting." Shinjiro said, breezing past the yelling man. Another man yelled, though, but not in the way the salesman was.

"Ash Bounty Hunter!" He shouted, making a rock wall shoot up in front of Shinjiro. "I've come to kill you!"

"Not stealthily, I hope." Toph laughed.

"You can try, earthbender." Shinjiro said. "But first, tell me: what is a synonym for crack that starts with an 'S'?"

"Snap?" The earthbender asked.

"Don't mind if I do," Shinjiro said, snapping his fingers. Instantly, a column of flames sent the earthbender soaring into the sky. "I would advise we leave for the markets."

"What was that 'synonym' thing, Shins?" Toph asked, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. "That was hilarious."

"It's how I remember one of my old friends. He disappeared years ago." Shinjiro said, and took Toph's hand, quickly running into a shop. The earthbender ran past the shop, and Shinjiro had to hold Toph back.

"Why don't you want to fight him?" Toph asked.

"I'm in no condition to fight." Shinjiro said, then turned to the shopkeeper once Toph stopped struggling. Shinjiro bought the supplies they needed, as well as a pair of black boots, and they were soon leaving for Ba Sing Se.

Or would've, if the earthbender hadn't intercepted them at the gate to leave the small city.

"You thought that little trick would make me run off?" The earthbender asked, making a large stone wall in front of the pair.

"What is with all of these stone walls?" Shinjiro asked, then stood, ready to attack the earthbender.

"I think Shins thought it would send you flying, actually." Toph said. "And he was right."

The earthbender covered his fist in rock and ran at Shinjiro, swinging his fist at him. Shinjiro dodged and quickly blasted the earthbender with fire, burning the earthbender's arm. The earthbender stomped on the ground and Shinjiro launched into the air. The earthbender jumped and hit Shinjiro, sending him smashing into the ground.

"Hey! That's my map-reader!" Toph shouted, sending several rocks at the earthbender. The earthbender, preoccupied with Toph's attacks, didn't notice Shinjiro standing and when Shinjiro jumped on his back it was too late to stop him.

Shinjiro coated his hands in flame and put his hands near the earthbender's face.

"Do you want to be ash?" Shinjiro asked. Suddenly, a boulder rose from the ground to Shinjiro's right and knocked him off of the earthbender's back, causing him to smash into a house. The earthbender took out water and began to use a water whip. He used it to attack Toph, but the moment before it hit her Shinjiro sent a wall of flame in front of her, evaporating the water.

"Whoa!" Toph shouted, jumping back. "Careful, Shins!"

"You can waterbend and earthbend?" Shinjiro asked, then coughed.

"Do you have a cold?" The bender asked mockingly.

"No." Shinjiro answered. "But you shouldn't worry. You'll be ash soon." Shinjiro then moved quickly, sending a giant vortex of flame at the bender. Sure enough, only ash was left one the flames subsided. Shinjiro fell to his knees, coughing.

"You okay?" Toph asked.

"Yeah." Shinjiro said. "I need something to drink."

"Here's some tea." A woman said, walking out of her house and giving Shinjiro a cup. "Thanks for helping us."

"Helping you?" Shinjiro asked, then sipped at his tea. Surprisingly, he felt better immediately.

The woman noted the color returning to his face. "It's jasmine tea. Do you want some more?"

"Yes, please," Shinjiro said, standing. "How did I help you?"

"That man was terrorizing some of the businesses, and no one would fight him." The woman said, filling a flask full of tea. "But you did."

"It was self-defense-" Shinjiro began when Toph hit him in the kidney, causing him to bend over in pain. "What was that for!"

"Shuddup!" Toph said. "They're thanking you. And besides, hitting people is how I show affection."

"Right." Shinjiro said doubtfully, then focused on drinking tea. "How does this make me feel better?"

"Tea makes me feel better when I'm sick." The woman smiled helpfully.

"I don't think you've ever had this sickness." Shinjiro said.

"Anyways, thanks." The woman said, kissing Shinjiro on the cheek.

"Um...How much is the tea?" Shinjiro asked, blushing furiously.

"I think helping us out is more than enough for a cup or two of tea." The woman said.

Shinjiro nodded. "Thanks."

"Ba Sing Se isn't coming to us, Shins." Toph said.

Shinjiro sighed, then lead Toph. "It shouldn't be long until we reach Ba Sing Se now, Toph."

"Better not be. I want to see my friends." Toph said.


	5. Chapter 5

"So, you think jasmine tea makes you better?" Toph asked, sitting on a rock. In front of her, Shinjiro practiced firebending. Toph was surprised that Shinjiro actually was a really good firebender after drinking some tea.

"Yes." Shinjiro said, sitting on the ground beside her.

"You sure it's not just in your head?" Toph asked.

"Even if it is, I feel healthier when I drink the tea, and I'm able to actually firebend without coughing up blood." Shinjiro said, and stood up and took several logs out. With a quick punch, the logs were ablaze. "We'll be in Ba Sing Se in a day or two."

"Good," Toph said, and made two rocks shoot up over her head.

"Who are your friends?" Shinjiro asked.

"Katara, Aang, Zuko, and Sokka." Toph said.

Shinjiro looked at her in surprise when she said the Fire Lord's name, but almost immediately went back to putting his sleeping bag on the ground.

"What was that?"

"Did you hear something?"

"No." Toph said, then pointed at Shinjiro. "Your heartbeat went all weird when I said Zuko. Why?"

"Don't be so demanding. I'm surprised you count the Fire Lord as a friend."

"Why?"

"He's the Fire Lord, and most leaders don't get close to civilians."

"Good point," Toph shrugged, scooting closer to the fire. "I'm happy you're around."

Shinjiro tried to keep his heartbeat normal, though it was impossible. "Why?"

"It's nice to have a campfire. I mean, I don't see any worse at night, but I like the warmth, you know?" Toph asked.

"Yeah." Shinjiro said. "I like fire, too."

'Duh. You're a firebender.' Shinjiro thought.

"Duh. You're a firebender." Toph said, and Shinjiro was surprised he knew what she was going to say. "But I know waterbenders who like fire, too, so I guess it's normal."

Toph winced, forgetting that waterbenders were a touchy subject around Shinjiro. 'Wait, how's he going to react to Katara?' Toph wondered.

"Do you miss your parents?" Shinjiro asked.

"Nope. I don't see how anyone could miss a protective old person." Toph said, and winced again, realizing what she said would be offensive to Shinjiro. 'What isn't touchy with this guy!' Toph wondered.

"That's one way of seeing it, I suppose." Shinjiro said. "My parents let me do whatever I wanted. Maybe if you had my parents you would've had another view. I, personally, wish my parents were more restrictive. Maybe they would've gotten me a firebending teacher instead of teaching it to me slowly, at my own pace. Then I could've protected them."

Toph walked over to Shinjiro and sat next to him. "Don't worry about it, Shinji. I'm sure you're making your parents proud."

Shinjiro smiled, and said "Thanks."

"Do you got another sleeping bag? My back's hurting."

Shinjiro stood and got another one, and was about to toss it to Toph when he remembered she was blind.

'Idiot.' Shinjiro scolded himself, and handed it to Toph, putting it on the ground.

"Um...Can I be closer to you? I mean, unless I'll get sick." Toph said, scolding herself in her head right after she finished talking. "'Unless I'll get sick?' Idiot!" Toph thought.

"My sickness can't spread." Shinjiro said, and moved the sleeping bag closer to his. "Goodnight, Toph."

"'Night, Shinji." Toph said, and smiled as she drifted off to sleep in the warmth of the fire.

'What an odd friendship.' Shinjiro thought, gazing at Toph's adorable face. 'Wait, I thought of her as adorable? Hm.' Shinjiro got into his sleeping bag and yawned. 'I hope meeting her friends works out well.' Then, he fell asleep.

Shinjiro's dream was a terrible one. He was in a forest, running after a beautiful woman. She had dark skin, soulless blue eyes, and brown hair, and wore a blue silk robe that covered her body.

"Stop running!" I roared, burning the forest with a stream of fire.

The woman laughed, turning to me. "Dying people are so desperate."

I glared at the woman, and said "Give me the antidote!"

"You have to catch me first," Kairi giggled.

My face contorted in anger, and I ran after Kairi. But I never caught her.


	6. Chapter 6

Shinjiro woke up before Toph for once, finding that he was being held by Toph. Or he was holding Toph. It was difficult to tell. Shinjiro carefully worked out of Toph's hug, not truly wanting to, and drank a small bit of jasmine tea.

'Even if I'm cured, I think I'll keep drinking the tea.' Shinjiro thought. 'It's not so bad.'

Toph yawned, sitting up and rubbing the sleep from her sightless eyes. "Hey, are you up, Shinji?"

"Yeah." Shinjiro said, tossing a log into the fireplace to cook breakfast.

"Why is your heartbeat different than average?" Toph asked, hoping it wasn't related to his infection.

"I had a nightmare." Shinjiro said, then thought 'And woke up in near you.'

Toph plopped down next to Shinjiro, then said "I need to tell you what happened between me and my friends."

Shinjiro smiled what he hoped was a friendly smile, then realized that Toph couldn't see it. "You don't have to tell me."

"I want to, though. We had a fight over nothing- I can't remember what it was -and I ran off, packing some food. I was lost, and I couldn't find my way and was too prideful to ask for help. Then you came along, and helped me out," Toph put her hand on Shinjiro's shoulder. "Thanks." Toph noted that both of their heartbeats not only matched, but both of them began to beat faster.

"No problem." Shinjiro said. "In truth, I used to be much ruder. I wouldn't have helped you before, but, knowing that I'm dying, something's changing inside of me, and frankly it confuses me. Thanks for being with me to help me sort things out."

"Don't get too sappy." Toph said, scratching the inside of her ear.

"Hey, you got sappy first!" Shinjiro said.

"Yeah, yeah. Hurry up and cook me breakfast." Toph said.

Shinjiro grumbled, but was happy. Toph was truly his first friend in years.

Hours later, they had come to a river.

"Crap." Toph muttered. "How deep's the river?"

"Waist deep," Shinjiro said.

"I can't see your waist, Shinji." Toph said, arms crossed.

Shinjiro walked over to her and poked her across from where her belly-button was. "That's my waist."

"Huh. You're not that tall." Toph said.

"Can you feel vibrations in water?"

"Nope. It's all hazy, and if I fall I can't swim."

"I'll carry you, then." Shinjiro said, and bent over.

"This is stupid." Toph said, but grabbed Shinjiro around the neck. Shinjiro grabbed her legs, and Toph felt her cheeks burn. Then, Shinjiro stood and slowly waded through the water. "Can you swim if we trip?" Toph asked.

"I won't fall." Shinjiro said.

"But if you do?"

"I'll save you."

They made it across the water, and Toph rolled in the dirt, smiling.

"I have to admit," Shinjiro said. "I can't swim."

"You can't!" Toph asked, standing up.

"No. But I would've evaporated the water, or tried my best to swim. I'm not going to let something like drowning take me or you." Shinjiro said.

"You're dedicated, aren't you?" Toph asked, arms crossed.

"Of course." Shinjiro said. "But did you really think a firebender could swim?"

Toph thought about it. "Guess not. How long 'til we get to Ba Sing Se?"

"Would you prefer missing sleep, or getting to Ba Sing Se?"

"How much sleep?"

"A day's worth."

"Guess I'll sleep." Toph said, and Shinjiro had an idea, but didn't tell Toph about it.

"Alright." Shinjiro said. "We'll set up camp and dry our clothes off."

"How are we going to dry our clothes off? I only got this set." Toph said.

Shinjiro thought about it, finding no easy way to dry Toph's clothes.

"Hey." A girl said, walking up to the pair of travelers.

"Hey." Toph said, tapping her foot.

"Hello." Shinjiro said.

"Do you guys need dry clothes?" The girl asked.

"We just need our clothes dried." Shinjiro said.

The woman took the water from Toph's clothes, and Shinjiro tensed.

"Are you okay?" Toph asked, then whispered in Shinjiro's ear. "Calm down. She's a waterbender, but we'll be gone soon."

Shinjiro did as Toph said, but was still shaking in rage and fear. "Didn't expect that." Shinjiro said.

"It's okay," The girl said, smiling.. "Waterbenders aren't common around here."


	7. Chapter 7

Toph felt something like a rocking sensation when she slept, and she smiled. Then, she frowned, realizing the rocking sensation was real, and she didn't have her feet on the ground. Toph punched forward, hitting Shinjiro in the nose. Shinjiro almost dropped her, but caught her, laying her sleeping bag down gently.

"What were you doing, you firebending idiot!" Toph shouted.

"Making progress while you slept." Shinjiro said, holding his bloody nose. "Ba Sing Se is only an hour's travel now."

"Did you sleep any?"

"No. I figured that we could sleep at Ba Sing Se."

"Um...Sorry about your nose."

"I deserved it. I would do worse if someone carried me while I slept." Shinjiro said, standing.

Toph stood, then yawned. "Any chance of breakfast soon?"

"Not without a fire."

"Crap."

"I'm a 'firebending idiot,' though, so it shouldn't be a problem." Shinjiro finished.

"Oh." Toph said, blushing.

'She truly is adorable when she blushes.' Shinjiro thought, then put a few logs down, setting them on fire.

"Why is your heart always beating so fast?" Toph asked.

"I don't know." Shinjiro lied.

"You're lying."

"I do know."

"And?"

"I'm not telling." Shinjiro said.

"Of course." Toph sighed, putting her feet up on another rock she pulled from the ground.

"Didn't you say sighing was bad?" Shinjiro asked.

"Less talking, more cooking!" Toph ordered.

_Ba Sing Se's Gates._

"About time we got here." Toph said, walking up to the guards. She smiled, and the guard shouted to open the gates. Toph began walking forward, and Shinjiro followed for once.

The guard, however, put his hand on Shinjiro's chest.

"Do I know you?" The guard asked.

Shinjiro looked fiercely at him with his visible eye. "No."

"Yes I do. You're that Ash Bounty Hunter. We don't want you in the city."

"He's with me," Toph said.

"I don't care if he's with the Fire Lord himself, we're not letting a murderer inside our gates." The guard said.

Shinjiro bowed his head. "Go on ahead, Toph. I'll wait outside of the gates."

"I'm not leaving you out here." Toph said, walking to Shinjiro's side.

"Thanks." Shinjiro muttered.

"You wouldn't leave me behind." Toph said.

"Close the-!" The guard was cut off when Aang ran through the open gates, Momo on his shoulder.

"Toph!" Aang shouted, smiling like an idiot. "You're back!"

"Of course I'd come back, Twinkle Toes." Toph said as Katara came out of Ba Sing Se.

"Hey Toph." Katara smiled.

"Hey," Toph frowned. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I don't even remember what we were fighting about." Katara smiled.

Toph smiled, then said "Could you get the guards to let us in. They don't like my friend."

"'Friend?'" Katara asked, looking Shinjiro over. "Huh. He's pretty cute."

Toph wordlessly moved her hands over her eyes.

"Oh." Katara said.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Aang." Aang smiled.

Shinjiro bowed. "I'm Shinjiro."

"Or Shin, Shins, or Shinji." Toph said.

"C'mon Shinji, you look like you need sleep." Aang said.

"I always need sleep." Shinjiro noted, following Aang.

"Um, Shinji, you look a bit sick." Katara said.

"I am sick." Shinjiro said, taking a liking to the nickname Shinji. "It's a long story, and I haven't slept. I would prefer to get some sleep."

Katara looked oddly at Toph.

"He's a bit irritable at first." Toph said.


	8. Chapter 8

The next day, Shinji walked around town. 'I think of myself as Shini now?' Shinji wondered. 'Hm.' Shinji had ran out of jasmine tea, and walked into the Jasmine Dragon, hearing of how the shop had good tea.

"Hello." Iroh said. "You look a bit ill."

"Can you fill this up with tea?" Shinji asked, holding his flask out.

"Of course. I'm Iroh." Iroh said.

Shinji bowed as he did with all strong benders he knew. "I'm Shinjiro. Most call me Shinji."

"The Ash Bounty Hunter?" Iroh asked, handing Shinji his flask. Shinji took a seat, and Iroh sat across from him.

"Yes." Shinji said, taking a cup of tea. "Thank you."

"It's okay. I like Jasmine Tea as well, though I don't take a flask around with me." Iroh said.

"It helps me." Shinji said, hoping he didn't come off as insane.

"I can tell. Why do you cover your face with your hair?" Iroh asked.

Shinji lifted his hair, revealing his blind eye. "I lost my eye because of my enemy, and now I'm hunting her down."

"You remind me of my-" Iroh stopped when a young man walked over to him. "Hello Zuko! I was just speaking of you."

Shinji stood and bowed, then offered Zuko a seat.

"Thank you." Zuko said. "I heard you came into Ba Sing Se with Toph."

"I did. I wouldn't have gotten in without Aang's help." Shinji said. "I came to get some tea, and began talking with Iroh."

"He seems to be a jasmine tea enthusiast." Iroh smiled.

"From what I've been told, he needs it." Zuko said.

"He said it helps him, and I thought that meant he was under the weather." Iroh said.

"Do you mind if I tell him his story?" Zuko asked.

"I don't mind." Shinji said, sipping his tea. "I wonder how much Toph told her friends."

"He was a bounty hunter, and killed the brother of a waterbender. The waterbender infected him with plant spores from a plant she made specially to kill him, and he's slowly dying. Drinking tea keeps Shinji in good health, as Toph and Shinji learned a few days ago. Toph and Shinji have a deal to track down the waterbender, and her name is Kairi. Shinji hates waterbenders, which shocked Katara, and is a strong firebender." Zuko said.

"That's pretty much it." Shinji said.

"What about his childhood?" Iroh asked.

"I was raised in the Fire Nation, and learned a bit of firebending from my dad, and some from my friends. My mother and father were killed by Osa, a bloodbender, and I became a bounty hunter." Shinji answered.

"I'm sorry for your loss. You can have as much jasmine tea as you want until you get better." Iroh said. "After that you should begin paying for it."

"Thanks." Shinji nodded, then stood and put a few coins on the table. "The tea was delicious. The best I've had."

"I take pride in my tea." Iroh smiled as Shinji walked towards the door.

"I think I'll go with him, uncle." Zuko said.

"Of course." Iroh nodded, and Zuko followed Shinji.

Zuko caught up to Shinji quickly, and said "Thanks for helping Toph out."

"It was my pleasure." Shinji said. "She didn't want my help at first, though."

"She is a bit stubborn." Zuko admitted, following Shinji to the room. "Is it true you took your first bounty at the age of seven?"

"I took my first life, too. I didn't have a choice, though." Shinji said. "Do you know where I could buy a Jian sword?"

"They don't sell Jian swords in Ba Sing Se."

"Worth a shot, I suppose." Shinji walked into the apartment he and Toph shared, and Zuko told him something.

"The others want to see you." Zuko said, and Shinji nodded.

"Let me change into different clothes." Shinji said, and Zuko left the room. When Shinji left the room, he wore a green duster, a yellow button-up shirt, yellow pants, and his black boots.

"I guess they didn't think to get you Fire Nation clothes." Zuko noted.

"Guess not." Shinji agreed. "I thought when Toph said I had new clothes it wasn't Earth Kingdom clothes. But clothes are clothes, I suppose."

"Will you be okay around Katara?" Zuko asked.

"Yes." Shinji said after a moment or two of thought.


	9. Chapter 9

Shinji and Zuko walked into a room with Sokka, Katara, Aang, and Toph in it. Toph was sitting on the floor, causing a rock to change shape, while Aang sat near Katara, chatting. Sokka was looking at his boomerang, but focused on Shinji when he walked into the room.

"I thought you'd be green." Sokka said.

"Hm?" Shinji asked.

"I mean, you're part plant right?" Sokka asked.

"You're near a flame," Shinji threatened. "Careful, or you'll be burned."

"You're a nice guy. You wouldn't burn me." Sokka said confidently.

"He didn't set me on fire because I didn't call him a plant guy." Toph said.

Sokka deflated, a bit worried. "Will you set me on fire?"

"Call me plant guy and see." Shinji said.

"Shinji, right?" Sokka asked. "Why are you wearing Earth Nation clothes?"

"My Fire Nation clothes were dirty." Shinji said.

"Hello Shinji." Katara smiled, standing and putting her hands behind her and holding one with the other in what she thought was a non-threatening stance. "I hope we can be friends."

"Hopefully." Shinji said, closing his hands. Sokka thought of this as a threatening stance, but in truth Shinji was trying to keep his hands from shaking. Katara was much closer than any waterbender had been in years.

"And that's Aang, Avatar, world-saver and all that." Toph cut Aang off, standing and grabbing for Shinji. Shinji took her hand, and Toph blushed.

"Aw, she's blushing!" Sokka said.

Toph hit Sokka over the head. "How'd you know where I was? The floor isn't rock!" Sokka said.

"Your voice." Shinji said.

"How'd you know?" Sokka asked.

"You're mouth is so big the people outside know where you are." Shinji said, and the others laughed.

"So, do you know where Kairi is?" Katara asked.

"No." Shinji said, sitting next to Sokka, who was glaring at him. Toph sat next to Shinji, sitting on Sokka.

"Move it." Toph said.

"Bossy." Sokka said, standing up.

"So, you're chasing after a woman with the antidote that will keep you from dying, drinking tea to keep you from drinking blood, and you have no clue where she is?" Aang asked.

"That's the gist of it." Shinji said.

"That sounds difficult." Zuko said, leaning against a wall.

"It's not like I have a choice." Shinji said.

"We'll help." Katara said, hoping to change Shinji's mind about waterbenders.

"We will?" Sokka asked.

"Of course." Katara said.

"But that sounds-" Katara cut Sokka off with a glare, then turned back to Shinji, who said "Thanks."

'It's a start.' Katara thought. 'And he isn't shaking.'

Shinji began coughing, and was soon doubled over, a fist over his mouth. Katara was quickly at his side, not that Shinji could tell who was near him, the tears in his eye blurring his vision.

Shinji sat up, and everyone (except Toph) saw the blood in his fist.

"This is serious," Sokka noted.

Shinji, being helped by Katara to drink tea, glared at him.

"Does he miss the purpose of things often?" Shinji asked, then said "Thanks."

"Yes," Katara said, smiling.

"I thought you'd hate Katara more." Toph said.

"I hate waterbenders, but I hated everyone at first." Shinji said.

"Hating everyone? Who does that sound like?" Sokka asked, looking at Zuko.

Both firebenders glared at him.

"Can he bend anything?" Shinji asked.

"No." Zuko said.

"Odd. I hate him more than normal waterbenders." Shinji said.

"Aw, man." Sokka said.


	10. Chapter 10

The next day, Shinji had baggy dark-red pants, black boots, and a sleeveless black shirt. After having some jasmine tea, he gathered others outside.

"Right. I thought of something, and I want you guys to do it with me." Shinji said.

"What is it?" Katara asked.

"Since Katara can see vibrations in dirt, I wondered if we put dirt on our faces if she could see a rough outline of our faces. I want you guys to try it with me." Shinji said.

"That's a stupid idea," Sokka said, but Shinji ignored him.

"Will it work?" Aang asked.

"I don't know." Shinji said. "If it doesn't work, the most that'll happen is we have mud on our faces. If not, Toph gets to see Sokka's ugly face."

"Hey!" Sokka said, glaring at his laughing friends.

"Alright." Katara said, immediately opening her flask and pulling water out. Immediately, Shinji tensed up, causing Katara to lose focus and drop the water.

"Sorry." Shinji said. "Could you do that again? I'm trying to get over my phobia."

Katara smiled, then got the water out of the soil and into a bucket of dirt.

"Who's first?" Shinji asked.

They all looked at him.

"It's your idea." Aang said.

Shinji shrugged and coated his face with mud, holding up his hair. Toph, who was sitting, 'watching' the whole affair through the vibrations through the floor laughed.

"I bet you guys look stupid." Toph said.

"Yep." Shinji agreed, lifting his head up. He forgot, however, that only Zuko and Iroh had seen his eye, and Sokka blurted out "What's up with your eye?"

"Crap." Shinji muttered.

"Are you blind in your eye?" Aang asked.

"Yes. I lost sight in my eye when Kairi infected me." Shinji admitted. "Put the mud on your face, already."

The others did as he said, laughing at each other as they coated their faces in mud.

"I'll go first." Sokka said, and walked over to Toph. She was worried, wondering if she could actually see people's faces through this, but acted nonchalant. Toph put her hand to Sokka's face, and Shinji tapped his face.

Toph gasped. "Whoa! It works!"

Shinji smiled brightly, surprising the others.

"You can smile?" Aang asked.

"I didn't know he could." Sokka said.

"Hurry up." Shinji said. Toph 'saw' everyone's face, ending with Shinji.

Shinji hesitantly kneeled, then gently took Toph's hand and put it to his face. Then, he tapped the mud on his face, and Toph smiled.

"You look better than Sokka." Toph said, then hugged Shinji, hot tears streaming down her face. "Thanks for everything."

Shinji hugged back, smiling. Though he would later deny it, tears worked their way down his face, leaving two twin lines in the mud on his face. "Anytime."

"Why didn't you tell me you were blind in one eye, though?" Toph asked.

Shinji gazed into Toph's sightless eyes, and she appeared to look back into his amber eye.

"I don't know. I was too busy thinking about how to help you than remember that I couldn't see out of one eye." Shinji said.

"That's sweet." Sokka said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Shinjiro was held back by the others, attempting to strangle Sokka moments later.

_The next day._

"Um...Katara?" Toph asked, knocking on her door. Katara answered, wiping the sleep from her eyes. She had wanted to sleep in, but, apparently, Toph wanted her to be up. "Can you, err, take me shopping?" Toph asked, nervous.

"You can't find your own way around?" Katara asked.

Toph resisted insulting her. "I can't see what I'm buying, though."

Katara woke up more, and asked "What do you want to buy?"

"I don't know." Toph admitted. "Something for Shinji."

Katara smiled knowingly. "Your 'friend?'"Katara asked, using air-quotes.

"Yeah." Toph said.

"Okay." Katara said. "I'll be out in a second. Tell me, have you ever been kissed?"

"By a boy?"

"Yeah."

"N-No," Toph asked, then, quickly "Where are you going with this?"

"Just wondering if Shinji would be your first. Are you sure you won't get sick from him?" Katara asked.

At that exact moment, Shinji walked through the hallway, drinking a cup of tea. Katara jumped at the sight of him.

"And I thought I was afraid of the opposite bending." Shinji said dryly. "What about getting sick from me?"

"How long have you heard us talking?" Toph blushed.

"I heard 'sick from him,' and, since people only talk about my sickness, I knew it was about me." Shinji said, emptying his cup. "And no, you can't get sick from me."

As soon as Shinji left, Toph released a lungful of air she had. "Thank goodness he wasn't lying."


	11. Chapter 11

Katara and Toph walked through the marketplace, talking while they looked for a Jian sword.

"So, what did you think about our faces?" Katara asked.

"They looked like faces." Toph said. "You guys really should've put mud on my face. I want to see what I look like."

"We forgot about that, didn't we?" Katara asked. "Well, after your and Shinji's date we'll make sure to do that."

"Date?" Toph asked.

"Yeah, I figured that you had a crush on Shinji and got Aang to ask him out." Katara said. "Why are you so red?"

_An hour earlier._

Shinji sat, meditating, with Aang. He usually didn't meditate, but then again, he usually didn't meet the Avatar and the Fire Lord twice in the same day.

"Hey Shins?" Aang asked, breaking the silence in the room again. It was difficult to meditate with a hyperactive person, Shinji realized.

"Yes?" Shinji asked, eyes closed.

"Katara asked me to tell you that Toph wanted to ask you on a date." Aang said.

"Could you cut down that run-on sentence?" Shinji asked.

"Toph wants to date you." Aang said.

"And I would gladly date her." Shinji said. Suddenly, Sokka stormed into the room, grabbing Shinji.

"Careful!" Aang said, like Shinji was a porcelain doll.

"I'm not gonna break him." Sokka said, rolling his eyes. He then began dragging Shinji out the door.

"Why are you dragging me into the street?" Shinji asked, keeping calm to avoid burning Sokka to ash.

"To get a present for Toph. Duh." Sokka said.

Shinji sighed. "Alright. Let me stand on my own, though."

_The Marketplace, with Toph and Katara._

"Was leaving Shinji with Sokka a good idea?" Toph asked, arms crossed.

"What could go wrong?" Katara asked, looking at a sword. It wasn't, however, a Jian sword.

"Sokka could get burned alive, Shinji could get his skull broken...Did you think this through?"

"I had to hurry so you didn't notice. I don't think we're going to find a Jian sword, Toph."

Toph thought about it, then said "Can you get me to a blacksmith?"

"Why?" Katara asked.

"I'm going to make a sword for Shinji." Toph said.

_The Marketplace, with Sokka and Shinji._

"Are you sure you should be outside, young man? You look sick." The shopkeeper said.

"He gets that a lot." Sokka said.

"I want this necklace." Shinji said, putting a Water Tribe betrothal necklace on the counter. He didn't know anything about the history behind the necklace, or that it was given to girls on their sixteenth birthday when they were to be engaged to who gave it to them. All Shinji knew was that it would look nice on Toph.

"This is gonna be good," Sokka said.

"Do you know that you're supposed to carve something onto the pendant?" The shopkeeper asked.

"No. Thank you for telling me," Shinji said, taking the necklace after paying for it.

"No problem." The shopkeeper said. "Who's the lucky lady?"

"Toph." Shinji said, then took a few deep breaths to focus on firebending.

Shinji put his index and middle finger together, and a small flame came from his fingers. Shinji put the fire to the metal, quickly carving the earthbender sign.

"I think that looks pretty good." Shinji said.

"Yeah, that sure looks like a good _betrothal necklace!_" Sokka said.

"What?" Shinji asked.

"It's a Water Tribe betrothal necklace." The shopkeeper said.

"No refunds, right?" Shinji asked.

The shopkeeper nodded.

Shinji sighed. "Hope Toph doesn't know that this is a betrothal necklace."

"She will if I tell her." Sokka said.

"Tell her and you'll be a pile of ash."

"Stop being so threatening. I'm surprised someone like you can get a girlfriend."

"I'm surprised someone like you hasn't been killed yet."

"Me too," The shopkeeper agreed.


	12. Chapter 12

The Jasmine Dragon was closed at night, but on this special night it was open for a single couple only (Iroh's gift to Shinji.) There was a table made of stone outside, under the full moon. Ironically, since it was night, Shinji was weaker than he would be at day.

Shinji was the first to the table, and nervously looked over the choker. Shinji thought of it as a choker because he _would not_ think of it as a betrothal necklace. No, it was a choker, a necklace with no meaning other than it was pretty. Shinji put his palm to his forehead. It was pretty, sure, but Toph couldn't see it. 'Why didn't Sokka tell me that instead of the fact that it was a betrothal necklace?' Shinji thought.

Toph walked out, thought, and all of his worries went away. She wore a green dress, wore no shoes, and was blushing. She was looking at Shinji because she could feel him bouncing his foot up and down nervously, and then she squeezed the sheathed sword in her hand nervously.

"Hey." Toph said.

"Hey." Shinji said. He was going to stand to pull her chair out for her when she used her earthbending to pull the seat back several feet. She sat in it, and dragged the chair to the table. "Wish firebending was that useful." Shinji smiled.

Toph giggled nervously, and took the sword out, handing it to Shinji. She accidentally hit Shinji in the shoulder, and she scolded herself in her head.

"Whoa." Shinji said, looking the sword over. "It's perfect! Where'd you find it?"

"I, um, made it." Toph said.

"Thanks." Shinji said. "I, uh, got you this choker. Do you want me to put it on you?"

Toph nodded, too nervous to speak. Shinji stood and wordlessly walked behind Toph, pulling her hair back and putting the choker on her neck.

"How do I look?" Toph asked.

"Amazing." Shinji smiled, and, seeing Toph run her fingers over the carving on the necklace, Shinji said "I carved the earthbending sign."

"You did a good job." Toph said. "Hey, you should've put mud on my face that one time. I'm actually a bit worried at how I look."

"You shouldn't be." Shinji said. "Honestly, you're the prettiest girl I've ever met."

Toph smiled.

"Toph, I was actually a bit worried when we were letting you see our faces." Shinji admitted.

"Worried about what, me saying 'oh, Sokka, you're so beautiful! And...Uh, Shinji, take that mask off'?" Toph asked.

"Well, since you said you were worried about your looks, I figured it best to tell you that I'm terrified of failing others." Shinji said. "So I was afraid that my idea wouldn't have worked and I would've failed you."

"You can't fail me, Shins." Toph said, and took Shinji's hand that had been resting on the table.

"Thanks." Shinji said.

"So," Toph said. "Do you think the others are watching?"

"Yeah." Shinji said.

Toph tapped her foot, and a rock wall surrounded the couple, the only opening a rectangle for the waitress. The waitress walked in, giving Toph water and Shinji tea.

"I have to admit, it's pretty bad when every tea shop in Ba Sing Se knows I drink jasmine." Shinji said, sipping at his tea.

"Why do you think jasmine helps?" Toph asked, making a rock stool come from the ground and putting her feet on it.

"It just does. I suppose it's part of the antidote or something." Shinji said. "How odd's that? A firebender with a plant in his body, drinking jasmine tea."

"Not any odder than the best earthbender ever being a little blind girl." Toph said.

Shinji and Toph laughed.

In front of the rock barrier, Sokka and Katara were confused.

"Is it going well?" Katara asked.

"I don't know. How about we break the rock barrier down?" Sokka asked. "Maybe it'll fall on Shinji."

"You two can't hate each other that much." Katara said.

"He's the angry one! Shinji thinks it's my fault he bought a betrothal necklace for Toph!" Sokka said.

"He what?" Katara giggled.

"You guys know eavesdropping is wrong, right?" Aang asked.

"That didn't stop you from sitting here with us for the past half-hour." Sokka said.

"Hey, I think the barrier's going down!" Katara said.

The three watched as the barrier went down, revealing empty plates and a waitress picking them up.

Outside of Toph's apartment, Shinji was holding Toph's hand and smiling.

"Thanks for the date tonight, even if we had to run from your friends." Shinji said.

"They're your friends, too." Toph said.

Shinji shrugged.

"Hey, bend down here. I gotta whisper something in your ear." Toph said, well-aware Shinji was taller than her.

Shinji leaned down, and Toph kissed him on the cheek, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Thanks for my first date. And my first kiss."

Shinji was about to question what she meant by that when she gave him a small peck on the lips, then went inside of her house. Shinji didn't see her blushing, but was too preoccupied with his own burning face and the amazing fact that the previous events did, indeed, happen.

Once he was certain this was reality, Shinji fist-pumped, accidentally shooting flames a foot into the air. Not like he noticed, though a man walking by did. Sokka, Aang, and Katara ran into the street from an alley, and look at Shinji, who had composed himself a moment earlier.

"What happened?" Katara asked eagerly.

Shinji coolly ran a hand down his bangs that covered his eye, then at the bangs that were slicked back on the other side, then walked towards them, breezing past them. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Shinji asked.


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm the meat and sarcasm guy, so is Shinji the plant and jasmine tea guy?" Sokka asked idly, looking at the clouds. In front of him, Katara and Aang used waterbending to fill a pool. They were undergoing the large task of teaching Shinji and Toph to swim.

"Alright," Katara sighed, the pool full. It would be chest-high to Toph, but lower to Shinji.

"Aang, you and Katara are the lifeguards. I'll teach them." Sokka said.

"Why are we the lifeguards again?" Aang asked.

"You can waterbend the water from my student's lungs." Sokka said. "That, and who wants to go mouth-to-mouth with Shinji?"

"I probably taste like tea, so it can't be that bad." Shinji said, looking down into the pool. He looked out the corner of his eye at Sokka, and pushed the Warrior into the water. Sokka stood, looking angrily at him. "Just making sure you were qualified." Shinji said.

Aang used airbending to toss a bag at Shinji, and Shinji caught it. "Those are your swimming trunks!" Aang said.

"Aang, you're five feet across from him. Why are you yelling?" Sokka asked, getting out of the water.

"What's all that sloshing?" Toph asked, standing, arms crossed.

"I assume you got a letter from me telling you to meet me here?" Shinji asked.

"Yep. Katara read it for me." Toph said.

"I got a letter in your handwriting, so I knew it was fake." Shinji said.

"How?" Sokka asked, and Shinji kicked him back into the water.

"She can't write." Shinji said. "And I've seen your handwriting. It was on that odd picture of your friends in that room I first met you in."

"Oh." Sokka said. "You pay attention to detail."

Katara walked over to Toph, holding a bag.

"These are your swimming clothes." Katara said.

"Do I really have to learn how to swim, Sugar Queen?" Toph asked.

"You're fighting a watebender. Knowing how to swim is important." Katara said. "It'll help Shinji."

"Alright." Toph sighed. "Help me put on whatever stupid thing you made for me."

After putting his swimming trunks on , Shinji was sitting beside Aang, both of their feet in the water.

"So, do you like the trunks?" Aang asked.

Shinji looked down at the red-and-black trunks. "Yeah." Shinji admitted, then stood and evaporated the water off of his legs.

"You know, I wonder how firebenders avoid burning their hair off." Sokka said.

"You learn how to avoid that. If you ever see any recently-taught firebenders, you'll notice they have hair tied up in a bun or ponytail and no arm hair. I let my hair down, though." Shinji said. "Of course, when my friends force me to swim, I wear it in a bun."

"I keep focusing on your blind eye." Sokka said.

"He didn't get the point of that." Shinji sighed.

Katara cleared her throat, then stepped to the side, revealing Toph. "Ta-da!"

Toph was wearing a two-piece green bathing suit, the bottom a mini-skirt. She didn't have as large a presence as usual.

'I bet I look like an idiot. In front of Shinji, too!' Toph thought, walking forward. "Let's get this over with."

"You look good, Toph!" Katara said.

"Yeah!" Aang agreed.

"You do." Shinji said, smiling.

Toph smiled, then, with Katara's help, got into the water, and stood arms-crossed, looking angry.

"I can't see in the water." Toph said.

Shinji waded into the water, putting a firm hand on her shoulder.

"It'll be okay." Shinji said. "Remember when I had to carry you through the river? How I said I'd save you? I'll still keep that promise."

"Anybody need to take a bathroom break? A tea break?" Sokka asked when part of his chair burst into flame. "Agh!"

Katara put the flames out, and glared at Shinji.

"Either you or Zuko set my chair on fire, and Zuko went back to the Fire Nation!" Sokka said.

"Regretfully." Shinji added.


	14. Chapter 14

Toph put her feet in the water, sunbathing, her wet hair running down her back.

"You're doing it all wrong, Shins." Aang said. Everyone was now teaching the seemingly-impossible-to-teach firebender. "Why are you sinking so fast?"

"Family curse." Shinji said. "My family sinks."

"Maybe it's from where you used to hate waterbenders." Sokka said. "Or maybe water has always had it out for your family."

Sokka fell over, but it was Katara who hit him down, a mark where her water-whip had hit him.

"Shut up. He'll learn soon, you just have to be nice about it." Katara said. "And give him some time," she added, seeing Shinji come out of the water spluttering again.

"Even Toph learned faster, and she's blind!" Sokka said.

Shinji dunked Sokka's head under water. "Shut up or I'll turn you to ash." Shinji said when Sokka resurfaced.

Sokka got out of the water and sighed. "Hey, Toph, got any insight on how to teach him?"

"Stop coddling him." Toph said. "Make the water above his head and keep him under. He'll learn or drown."

"I'm guessing the date didn't go well." Sokka said. "Well, waterbenders, do as she says."

Toph snapped her fingers, and rock rose, raising the pool so that it was twice Shinji's height. Katara and Aang then began filling it up, and Shinji was soon up to his neck in water.

"Is this a good idea?" Shinji asked.

"I think it is." Toph said.

Shinji sighed, deciding noble silence was a better option than yelling at Sokka, then took a deep breath as Katara and Aang finished filling the pool.

Under the water, all sound was muted. After an initial panic wave, Shinji began swimming. Maybe not as good as Toph, but still better than before, and he still was able to rise to the top.

Unfortunately, as soon as he rose to the top, something fell down, hitting him on the head and pulling him under. Shinji rubbed his bruised head, then identified what had hit him.

It was a _who_, and she was unconscious. Shinji grabbed Toph and swam to the surface, finding notable difficulty carrying her.

Shinji noted the rock walls were not down, and that he couldn't burn through them.

"That was a terrible idea." Shinji said to Toph, checking to make sure she was breathing. A figure appeared standing on the rock wall, looking down at Shinji. She had blue eyes, and brown hair that went down her back. She wore Earth Kingdom clothes, despite obviously being a waterbender.

"It's been a while, eh, Shinjiro?" Kairi asked.

Shinji ground his teeth, but kept swimming.

"I heard you started drinking jasmine tea. That's pretty clever, since jasmine's one part of the antidote. But without the other parts, you can't heal!" Kairi said, walking on the rock border.

"Now would be a good time to wake up." Shinji whispered to Toph. "If only to take the barrier down."

"The talk of the town is that you're dating the legendary Toph. She's thirteen, though, and you're what, sixteen? Seventeen?" Kairi asked, then used a waterbending move.

"No-!" Shinji said when more water was put in the pool. 'It's coming true!' Shinji thought. 'Drowning to death, just like what I was afraid of when I was a kid!'

As a child, Shinji had an abnormal fear of drowning. After his parents died, though, Shinji had fought that fear away, believing the only thing to fear was waterbenders. Now, though, his fear of waterbenders gone, as the hate of them was, his older fears were resurfacing.

Shinji screamed under water, then swam upwards, putting Toph above water before himself.

"You really care about that blind girl, don't you?" Kairi asked, sitting on the barrier, legs dangling over.

"She's more than a blind girl!" Shinji coughed.

"I have to admit, that warrior wasn't hard to fight. I'm surprised you didn't have anyone else to watch over you." Kairi said.

Shinji grew a crooked smile and, out of nowhere, a gust of air knocked Kairi down into the water, the rock barrier falling at the same moment. Katara used waterbending to lift Toph up to her, using the excess water to lift her up. Shinji looked to Kairi, who had just now stood up in the ankle-high water.

Shinji began breathing, and adopted his firebending stance.

Kairi took the water from her clothes and attacked.


	15. Chapter 15

Shinji kicked blazing rings at Kairi, who used water to block the flames, then attacked with a water jet, knocking Shinji down. Shinji shot up, using fire to propel himself close to Kairi, then used flame daggers, lunging forward and nearly setting flame to Kairi, who, when Shinji's arm was above her shoulder, pulled a ice shield up, freezing Shinji's arm in it.

"Exerting yourself is going to shorten your lifespan." Kairi said a second before Shinji broke through the ice. Shinji immediately used a flame whip, attacking where Kairi had been. She moved a second before the whip hit where he had been, evaporating the water. Kairi froze the water around Shinji's feet, but Shinji broke through it easily.

"You're running out of your element, waterbender." Shinji said.

"You're running out of time, firebender." Kairi said, lunging forward and hitting Shinji's arm, making it unable to bend. "Now what are you going to do?"

Shinji glared. If he kept attacking he'd be unable to bend at all. But firebenders have strong willpower, and Shinji ran forward until, suddenly, he felt two fingers stabbing his chest.

"I told you fighting would make your lifespan shorter." Kairi said, and Shinji collapsed, splashing in the water. "Now you have two weeks at most. Enjoy it."

Shinji felt a painful sensation on his chest. Shinji fell into a world of darkness, knowing that he was going to die soon.

Shinji's eyes opened again, and he was in his room, his friends surrounding him. Shinji hazily looked around, trying to find Kairi.

"He's up." Katara said. Shinji noticed someone holding his hand, and saw Toph, looking very sober.

"He's not doing very well. His heartbeat's very weak." Toph said sadly.

"He'll be fine." Katara said.

"Why are his eyes bloodshot?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know. Something like this has never happened before." Katara said, then, softly, "He's looking at you, Toph."

Toph looked down at Shinji, for once happy she couldn't see. Shinji was a wreck: he was coated in sweat, and hadn't been conscious for a whole day. Toph visited frequently, and cried more tears than she ever had in her life. Toph wished she couldn't hear Shinji's breathing, the terrible rasping stopping suddenly then beginning where it left off.

Shinji tried to squeeze Toph's hand, finding that his muscles didn't work.

'Is this how I'll die?' Shinji wondered. 'On a bed, like an old man before I'm even an adult?'

Someone knocked at the door, and a girl walked in.

'Wait...' Shinji thought. 'Is she upside-down, or is it just my blurry vision?'

"Hey guys!" Ty Lee said loudly. She dressed in her normal clothes, and was taking a small break from the Kiyoshi Warriors.

"What are you doing here?" Katara asked. "It's really bad timing. Our friend here's really sick, and-"

"I got her, actually." Aang said, walking in the door.

"Well, it was my idea." Sokka said. "That waterbender girl used that chi blocking stuff to make the plant grow, right? Maybe Ty Lee can fix it."

"That's a good idea, Sokka!" Katara said, smiling.

Shinji grew worried. Was he going to die? Or would this work? Shinji promised himself two things: if this worked, he would learn chi blocking, and he would definitely destroy Kairi.

"Was he hit right here?" Ty Lee asked, looking at the obvious, large bruise on Shinji's chest. "He's kind of cute, in a Zuko way. You know, damaged eye, angry look, not-so-happy past."

"He's a firebender, too." Aang said.

"He's like Zuko, we get it," Toph said.

"He was a bounty hunter," Aang said.

"Aang!" Katara scolded.

"Sorry." Aang said.

Ty Lee hit Shinji's bruise, and...Nothing happened.

"Sorry guys." Ty Lee said.

Suddenly, Shinji flailed up, coughing. Blood and something red was in Shinji's fist when he stopped coughing.

"Got some of it out." Shinji said, and stood unsteadily. "Thanks." Shinji nodded.

"No problem," Ty Lee said, her smile returning.

Shinji fixed his hair, his bangs covering his blind eye, and he said, determination in his voice, "Where did Kairi go?"

"Kairi? Like the waterbender in the Kiyoshi warriors?" Ty Lee asked.

The whole room looked at her, though Toph's face had noticeably more doubt than anyone else's.

"Taller than me, from the Northern Water Tribe, blue eyes, brown hair down to her waist?" Shinji asked, Ty Lee nodding every few words.

"Her hair is usually up, though." Ty Lee said.

Shinji bowed. "You've earned my eternal respect."

"Oh, well..." Ty Lee blushed.

"You can get out now." Toph said, pushing Ty Lee out of the door.

"But I wanna talk to Shins!" Ty Lee said.

"Wait, Toph!" Shinji said, stopping both of the girls. "Ty Lee, would you teach me how to block someone's chi?"

"Sure!" Ty Lee said, standing on one finger.

"She isn't getting away this time." Shinji said. "How soon can you begin teaching?"

"Um...As soon as you want, I guess." Ty Lee said.

"I'll see you outside." Shinji said.


	16. Chapter 16

"You're a quick study!" Ty Lee said, attempting to hit Shinji. He, however, dodged every attack, then countered the last one by grabbing her wrist and slinging her over his shoulder. Ty Lee landed with an 'oomph!' on the ground, and Shinji straddled her, holding a ball of flame. "You win!" Ty Lee said hurriedly.

Shinji made the flames disappear, smiled, and stood, helping Ty Lee up.

"Thanks for teaching me." Shinji said, bowing.

Ty Lee bowed, touching her toes. "No problem, Shins."

"Are you sure Kairi is in Kiyoshi?" Shinji asked.

Ty Lee's smile faltered. "Um...Yeah."

"Alright. Do you want something to eat?" Shinji asked. Ty Lee had been staying with him for two days, having nowhere else to live.

"Sure." Ty Lee smiled.

Shinji knew she was lying. They didn't allow outsiders to be Kiyoshi Warriors, and Toph had told everyone that she was lying. Still, it was best to play along.

'That, and Ty Lee is really, really good looking.' Shinji thought, then mentally scolded himself.

"Hey guys!" Aang said. The rest of 'Team Avatar,' as Sokka called them, was inside the Jasmine Dragon, their favorite hangout. Well, Zuko wasn't around, but he governed the Fire Nation and had little time for his friends.

"Hey." Shinji said, sitting beside Toph and taking a cup of tea.

"You know, you probably have jasmine tea for blood." Sokka said.

"Probably." Shinji agreed.

"I think that'd be good." Iroh said. "You could taste tea all day!"

"I don't constantly have blood in my mouth, Iroh." Shinji said.

"Just usually." Sokka said.

"And usually men don't have ponytails." Shinji said.

"Warrior. Wolf. Tail!" Sokka said.

"Call it what you want," Shinji shrugged. "But control your temper."

"Says the firebender." Sokka said.

"Controlling your temper is actually a very important part of being a good firebender." Iroh said.

"Though, when I was a kid, I thought learning to snap my fingers and blow things up was more important." Shinji laughed, and Iroh began laughing, too.

"Are you sure you're a teenager, or are you really an old man?" Toph asked.

"It's hard to tell sometimes." Shinji said.

"So, tell me, what has Ty Lee taught you?" Iroh asked.

"How to use chi blocking, and how to dodge better." Ty Lee said, her legs behind her head. "He's a good dancer."

"She means fighter." Shinji said.

"Does this Kairi girl know chi blocking?" Iroh asked.

"Yes." Shinji said.

"She seems to be an even more dangerous opponent than I thought." Iroh said. "Best of luck!"

Toph, in truth, was feeling a bit jealous of Ty Lee, and was worried about her relationship with Shinji. Ty Lee was closer to his age, looked better (as far as Toph knew,) and was cheery and less-tomboyish. Toph tried taking Shinji's hand, but accidentally took Iroh's hand.

"Shinji is on the other side of the table, young lady." Iroh said.

"You can burn me alive now." Toph said.

"Wanna go to Kiyoshi Island now?" Ty Lee asked.

"We could just take Appa." Aang said.

Shinji looked at him, moving his bangs out of the way. Shinji's blind eye always appeared serious, so it immediately quieted Aang.

"Of course." Shinji said, and followed Ty Lee.

"Wait, Shin!" Toph said, running after Shinji. Shinji stopped and turned just in time for Toph to hug him. "Make sure to come back." Toph said, and kissed Shinji on the lips. Then, she turned, embarrassed, and Shinji smiled at how cute she looked.

"I will." Shinji promised, and followed Ty Lee.


	17. Chapter 17

"So, you and Toph are an item?" Ty Lee asked.

"Yes. We don't call each other boyfriend and girlfriend, but I think she will after I'm cured." Shinji said. "So, when is Kairi going to attack us?"

"Huh?" Ty Lee asked, smile faltering.

"We're heading the wrong way to go to Kiyoshi Island," Shinji said, "and the Kiyoshi's only taken two outsiders into their ranks."

"Kairi made me do it!" Ty Lee said, tearing up. "She attacked me on the way over."

"Of course. You're a nice girl, who wouldn't do such a thing." Shinji said. "But when Kairi attacks, I'm going to attack back, and I don't need another death on my conscious. Go get Aang when the fight starts."

"Alright." Ty Lee said. "Sorry."

"I don't blame you." Shinji said, remembering how, if this had happened a year ago, he'd have burned Ty Lee alive.

"Thanks." Ty Lee said. They walked in silence for a few moments until a water whip flew at Ty Lee. It would've broke her neck, had not Shinji used fire to evaporate it.

"Go!" Shinji said, and Ty Lee ran back to Ba Sing Se.

"She betrayed me." Kairi sighed. "Oh well. Can't find good help, I suppose."

"What do you want from me?" Shinji asked.

"Your life! You killed my brother!"

"Would he have wanted revenge?"

"Yes!"

'Worth a shot, I suppose.' Shinji thought, then kicked in a horizontal arc, flame shooting at Kairi. She used a ice shield to block the flames, then broke the water into a thousand shards of ice.

"Die!" Kairi screamed, sending the shards at Shinji.

Shinji used a wall of flame, evaporating the ice, and ran through the wall at Kairi to surprise her. It worked, and Shinji successfully burned her hip. Kairi sent a water-whip at Shinji, who attempted to block it when it turned to ice, cutting into his forearm.

"Agh!" Shinji said, gripping his shoulder and jumping behind a rock. Shinji put the index and middle finger on his right hand together and, wishing he was a waterbender, made fire come from his fingers like it had when he carved the necklace he gave to Toph. Then, Shinji cauterized the wound, gritting his teeth, and stood, angrier than ever.

"That's where you were-" Kairi began when Shinji hit her in the stomach with fire, burning her clothes and causing her to fly into the air. When she landed on the ground, Shinji grabbed her by the neck and quickly jabbed several places on her body.

"What's the cure!" Shinji shouted as Kairi struggled to move. Shinji put his fingers together and fire began spouting out of them. "I'll burn you beyond recognition unless you tell me the cure!"

Kairi gulped, then said "Jasmine, white orchids, honey, and lemon."

Shinji committed this to his memory, noting that it would, in all likelihood, cause him to vomit. Then, he picked Kairi up, slinging her over a shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Kairi screamed.

"Making sure you're telling the truth." Shinji said, seeing a flying bison in the sky beginning to descend.

"Are you going to kill me?" Kairi asked, scared. She was remembering finding her brother's half-burned corpse, and was acting like a child because of it. She wasn't the only one changing, though; Shinji was acting more like his older, emotionless self.

"If you lie, I'll turn you into ash." Shinji said simply, and Appa landed. Everyone got down, looking at the two. "I need to know if she's lying or not." Shinji said.

"Alright. Put her on the ground, and I'll see if she's lying or not." Toph said nonchalantly.

Shinji heartlessly dropped her, causing Kairi to grunt in pain as she hit the ground. Momo hid behind Aang's head, and Ty Lee said "Shin, are you okay."

"I'm fine." Shinji said, putting his boot on Kairi's back. "Say the ingredients."

"!" Kairi said quickly, tears streaming down her face.

"Shinji, what are you doing to her?" Katara asked. "This isn't like you."

"She's just a waterbender." Shinji said, and Katara slapped him, then stormed off.

"What's wrong with you!" Aang shouted, and Shinji blinked, like he had just woken from a bad dream, and ran off after Katara.

"Where are you going?" Toph asked.

"I have to apologize!" Shinji said.


	18. Chapter 18

Katara stood behind a tree, furious, tears streaming down her face.

"Katara?" Shinji asked.

"What do _you_ want?" Katara asked angrily, not looking at Shinji.

Shinji leaned against the tree, then slid down it, tired. He felt a tickling in his throat and knew he was going to cough, but fought against it.

"I'm sorry." Shinji said. "I was so wrapped up in getting the antidote for my infection I forgot everything I'd learned." Shinji sighed, running his hand through his hair. "Maybe I shouldn't get healed. I mean, I don't want to go back to the way I was. I don't want to be the 'Ash Bounty Hunter' anymore. I don't want to be some emotionless killer who never takes bounties alive. I want to be Shinji, the guy who drinks tea with Iroh. Shinji, Toph's boyfriend. Shinji, the recently-deceased. Anything but how I was!"

Katara put a hand on Shinji's shoulder, leaning down and smiling. "I understand, Shinji. Think of this as like firebending: you have to be careful. I'm sorry I slapped you."

"I deserved it." Shinji shrugged, then gasped when his wound began to hurt..

"That's going to scar." Katara said.

"I know. I wish I was a waterbender. Cauterizing wounds hurts." Shinji said.

"You cauterized your wound?"

"I didn't have another choice, really."

"Let me heal it." Katara said, opening her flask and putting water on Shinji's shoulder.

Shinji coughed, blood dripping down his lips. "We should probably hurry and get that cure."

"Yeah." Katara agreed, and stood, offering her hand to Shinji. Shinji took it immediately, thanking Katara. "Looks like your over your fear."

"I am." Shinji said. "I'm thinking about helping Kairi. She's got to have some issues to have the determination to make a plant species specifically to kill me."

Katara nodded. "But we'll get the cure first, right?"

"Hey, you're the hero." Shinji said, putting his hands in front of him, palms facing Katara.

"You're the terminal one." Toph said, walking over to Shinji and hugging his arm tightly. He wondered why until he saw Ty Lee. "She wasn't lying, Shin."

"That's good." Shinji said. "How long until we get to Ba Sing Se?"

"When you start walking, about ten minutes. Ty Lee was walking back towards Ba Sing Se. Didn't you notice?" Sokka asked.

"No." Shinji admitted. "I was too busy focusing on what I should do when Kairi attacked. Speaking of attacks, I figured at least one of you would hit me."

"We saw the whole thing." Aang admitted.

Shinji shrugged. It kept him from explaining everything.

**A/N: Don't eat the cure: it probably tastes **_**really**_** bad.**

**-MN1**


	19. Chapter 19

Shinji had been cured for a whole month, and was spending his days drinking tea of many varieties with Iroh and dating Toph. They still hadn't called each other boyfriend and girlfriend, but Shinji had realized that Toph had become the leader of the relationship due to his weakened, near-death state when they had first began datin, and knew that changing it now would destroy the relationship.

This wasn't true, as Toph believed their relationship equal, but Shinji was confused by people, never having time to grow. Shinji had went from a child to an adult in one night, and was now trying to go back to being a teenager. It didn't work well, but not through lack of effort.

Shinji was now trying to do favors for each of his friends, believing he owed them his life. Shinji had done something for Toph- helping her see faces -so he was now focusing on Sokka, hoping to improve their relationship past insults. Shinji would never improve his relationship with Sokka, but he was not to know this.

Shinji sat meditating under a sakura tree he had put in front of his home, paid for by his bounty money. Shinji was split on his money: he needed it to live, but didn't want it, as he had gained it through murder. He had decided to atone, and had decided he would become a Fire Nation Soldier later in life. Until then, he lived with his friends in Ba Sing Se.

"Does Sokka have a girlfriend?" Shinji asked Toph, surprising her. He had been meditating for the past half-hour, and Toph had been laying near him, laying on her hands.

"Why? Do you want to date him?" Toph asked. Though, at first she wouldn't make jokes at Shinji's expense like her other friends, she did now, since Shinji was cured. Shinji didn't mind; he found them funny.

Shinji smiled, though his smile was crooked; the painful recovery had atrophied muscles in his face, making his smile crooked under his blind eye, though his speech was unaffected. Kairi had apologized, the therapy she had taken making her a nicer and all-together very forgiving individual. Shinji and Kairi were friends, a future neither had ever expected or thought possible.

"No. I haven't seen him with a girlfriend, meaning she lives far away, if he has one." Shinji said. "He never leaves the city, meaning they haven't seen each other."

"How do you know he even has a girlfriend?"

"He hasn't approached any girls, even the most attractive girl I've met."

It took Toph a second to blush.

"Oh, shut up." Toph blushed, tossing a rock at Shinji, purposely missing his head. "His girlfriend's on Kiyoshi Island, but he can't go there."

"Why doesn't he?"

"We're protecting the city."

"The city surrounded by large rock walls?" Shinji asked.

"Yeah." Toph said, then remembered why she argued with Katara what seemed like forever ago. "That's what I fought with Katara about! I didn't want to stay in Ba Sing Se, saying it didn't need protection, and yelled at Sokka. Katara went to Sokka's side, and I ran off."

"Hm." Shinji said, surprised that the others wouldn't realized the city had no other threats, the world a peaceful place.

"What?"

"Nothing. I just find it hard to believe the Avatar would fight crime."

"We don't really fight crime. We're taking it easy after saving the world." Toph said.

"I'm just taking it easy." Shinji said, then stood. "I'll go ask to borrow Appa."

"Why?" Toph asked.

"I'm going to Kiyoshi Island with Sokka." Shinji said, and Toph used earthbending to stand.

"I'll go too, then." Toph said, hugging Shinji's arm. 'I'm not letting you go alone, with Sokka, to see Ty Lee.' Toph thought.

"Hm." Shinji said.

"What are you 'hm'-ing about now?" Toph asked.

"Nothing, Toph." Shinji said. He would've hugged her, but his arm was in a death grip. "On another note, do you know your own strength?"

"I know I'm stronger than a lot of girls." Toph said.

"Did you know my fingers are turning purple?" Shinji asked, the blood not going to his hand.

"I'm blind." Toph said instinctively.

"I know. Would you kindly let go of my arm before I lose a finger?" Shinji asked.

Toph finally got what Shinji asked, and let go. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Shinji smiled crookedly, taking Toph's chin in his thumb and index finger, lifting her head slightly. "Can I kiss you?" Shinji asked, never being terribly romantic.

Toph, blushing and rubbing her toe in the dirt, said in a small voice "Yes."

Shinji kissed her lightly, not caring who saw.


	20. Chapter 20

Shinji walked to the Jasmine Dragon, wearing baggy black pants and his boots, his hair fixed normally. The town had noticed this, but those who cared the most- teenage girls -didn't mind; in fact, they loved seeing the muscular teenager without a shirt, and the fact that he had a dark past didn't help the matters any. Many girls who wanted to date Shinji had grown to hate Toph, the earthbender being near to the firebender almost constantly, but Toph only had one thing to say whenever anyone brought this to her attention: 'if they don't like it so much, they can fight me.'

No one ever challenged her after the first fight.

"Do you ever wear a shirt?" Kairi asked, sitting at a table with Iroh. The two had become fast friends, due to Kairi's above average looks and love for tea.

"I sometimes do, but it's sleeveless." Shinji said. "I wear boots, though."

"Yeah, that old, worn-out pair you got on the road with Toph." Kairi said.

"I like these boots." Shinji said. "Where's Sokka?"

"He's in the back room with the others." Iroh said, and Shinji nodded thanks, knowing Iroh didn't like him bowing, then walked into the room.

"Aang, can I borrow Appa?" Shinji asked rather bluntly.

Aang was surprised, of course. "Why?"

"I want to go to Kiyoshi Island with Sokka, to see his girlfriend." Shinji said, sitting down and taking a cup of tea. Shinji had become an experience tea drinker, and had tried every variety Iroh had.

"Do I have a choice in this?" Sokka asked.

"You can either come quietly or I'll drag you there." Shinji said. "Or Toph will drag you there."

"Toph's coming?"

"If Aang lets us borrow Appa, then yes."

"I'll go with you, but I won't let you pilot Appa. You can't borrow him, anyways; he's a living being." Aang said.

"Sorry." Shinji said.

"And he doesn't like you." Aang finished.

Shinji shrugged. "I don't care what others think. That was a bit too blunt," Shinji realized. He was trying to be kinder, but found it hard. "I don't care what others think about me." Shinji rephrased.

"We get it." Katara said. She felt bad for Shinji. She knew what it was like to lose your mother, but the thought of Shinji losing his whole family must be worse. Katara suddenly wondered something. "How many people were in your family?"

Shinji thought about it. "My mother, my father, my older brother and my twin sister."

The others went silent. They had only thought he lost his mother and father, not four people.

"I'm sorry." Katara said.

"About what?" Shinji asked, then realized she meant his family. "It's not your fault." Shinji said.

"I know." Katara said. "I still feel bad for you."

"Why?" Shinji asked, smiling as much as he could. "My life's the best it's been since my parents died, all thanks to you guys."

The others smiled at his kind words.

"So, are we going to do this or not?" Shinji asked.

"Sure." Aang said.

"You can go off on your all-man trip without me." Katara said.

"Hey, Sugar Princess, I'm going on the trip." Toph said.

"Sorry." Katara said.

"When are we going?" Aang asked, smiling. Of course, Aang smiled almost as frequently as Ty Lee.

"Tomorrow, after we pack." Shinji said, taking lead without even noticing it.

"If you're coming along, you'd better bring a shirt." Sokka said.

"Duh. Why wouldn't I?" Toph said.

"He was talking to me." Shinji said.

"How was I supposed to know?" Toph asked. "My eyes are pretty, but they can't see."

"They are beautiful." Shinji agreed, and Toph went silent, blushing.

"Would you stop being so mushy?" Sokka asked.

"Coming from a Water Tribe Warrior, who learned to fight in snow." Shinji said.

"What's that supposed to mean? Do you have something against snow?"

"Yes, I do. Firebender, remember?"

"Oh, you and your magic!"

"I could argue with you, but I don't have time to waste."

"Do you have something important to do?"

"Yes, as implied by my 'I don't have time to waste' remark." Shinji said. "I have to pack for your trip, as do you."

"Oh." Sokka said.


	21. Chapter 21

Shinji sat, meditating, with Toph near him. Aang and Sokka argued over Sokka's course. They were over the desert, which, though shorter than going around, was more treacherous. As fate would have it, the desert would be extremely treacherous for two particular passengers.

"Nothing's going to happen!" Sokka shouted, and Aang jerked the reins from him.

"What if it does!" Aang said, and Sokka jerked the reins back with more force than he meant, causing Appa to spin. Toph and Shinji, who weren't holding on to anything, fell off, Toph screaming and Shinji assessing the situation at a mile a minute.

Shinji quickly grabbed Toph and forced fire through his feet, cushioning their landing. It wasn't enough, however, and Toph hit her leg on the ground, spraining it. Toph screamed, making the sand all around them solidify, then fly into the air. Aang expertly dodged, but left the couple behind several miles.

"Toph!" Shinji shouted, grabbing the blind girl's wrists. "I'm here! Calm down!"

Toph fell to the ground, sweating and crying. "Are we okay?"

"You sprained your leg." Shinji said, feeling like he failed someone he loved again. "Sorry."

Toph grabbed Shinji's shoulder, pulling herself up to him, as Shinji kept muttering 'Sorry. I'm sorry' until she reached his cheek, kissing him.

"It's okay." Toph lied. She felt terrified, like they both would die in the desert, not that she would tell Shinji that. "But your performance sucked. Are you losing your bending?" Toph asked playfully, trying to lighten the mood.

Toph felt Shinji's heart skip a beat, and her face sank.

"Oh." Toph said.

"I'm not angry anymore. I meditate, focusing on things I hate, and they don't do anything." Shinji said.

"When we get out of this," Toph said, grabbing Shinji's chin to make him look at her face. "Get lessons from Zuko. This happened to him."

"Alright." Shinji said, and stood. "You can't walk, but I can carry you." Shinji picked Toph up and, using a compass he had and previous knowledge from a couple of bounties from the desert, he walked South, knowing of a town in that direction.

The walk through the desert was long, painful, and silent, neither one of the couple complaining.

Shinji gave Toph more food, believing a full stomach would help her sleep through her pain. Toph, not seeing through the sand, couldn't see Shinji slowly starving. Shinji felt guilty for the trickery, but tried to make rage from the guilt. He couldn't no matter how hard he tried, and thus he kept walking. He stopped, though, when he saw a large circus tent.

'Hm,' Shinji thought. 'This can't be a hallucination. I've seen this before. After losing their star, they became a freak show. Shinji walked up to the man, and he gasped.

"The Ash Bounty Hunter? What are you doing here?" The Ringmaster asked.

"Shinji, have you found a city?" Toph asked.

"Sort of." Shinji said, looking the Ringmaster in the eye. He was a retched man, and would love nothing more than to take Shinji in as a 'performer,' knowing that his past would make many come to see him. So Shinji gave him what he wanted. "If you bring this girl to civilization, I'll perform for you."

"Oh?" The Ringmaster asked.

"If you don't take her to civilization, I'll kill you and every performer you have." Shinji said, his old coldness creeping into his voice.

"Why wouldn't I just take you in? You look like you've been starved. But the girl looks normal. How peculiar." The Ringmaster said, knowing exactly what had happened.

"What's he talking about?" Toph asked when, suddenly, the penny dropped.

"She's a normal girl, but blind. I'm the insane, bloodthirsty Ash Bounty Hunter."

"I agree. I keep my word, you know," The Ringmaster said.

"No! Shinji!" Toph said as Shinji handed her to a sandbender.

"Goodbye Toph." Shinji said, two men walking up to him and clapping iron cuffs on him, knowing he was dangerous.

The sandbenders got onto one of their boats and quickly left.

"You're lucky those sandbenders were ones that believed in karma." The Ringmaster said.

Shinji smiled half-heartedly. "You're not so lucky. That was the strongest earthbender alive, Toph Bei Fong."

The Ringmaster realized he'd been tricked, and a vein popped from his forehead. He tried calming himself by saying "I have the Ash Bounty Hunter, at least."

"I've changed my ways, though, and I can't bend anymore," Shinji said, and the Ringmaster created a fire whip.

"I hope you're as fireproof as the rumors say." The Ringmaster growled.

'At least Toph is safe.' Shinji thought, and the rest of his thoughts were only of pain.


	22. Chapter 22

Shinji awoke, seeing his burns healed, and slowly looked over the room.

"I h-healed your wounds." A girl said, and Shinji turned, slowly, his muscles sore, to her. She had white hair, large blue eyes, and only wore a bikini and shorts that ended at her knees. This was because she had green scales from her knees down, her shoulder to her elbows, on her neck, on the sides of her stomach, on her fingers, and on her back while the rest of her skin was a pale white. She was, obviously, expecting Shinji to be disgusted by her appearance.

"Thanks." Shinji said, slowly sitting up and surprising her. "I'm Shinji."

"S-Sakura." The girl said. "I'm a waterbender."

"I'm...Or, I was a firebender." Shinji said, looking around. "So, you're my partner?"

"Y-Yes." Sakura said. "I-It's okay t-to be d-disgusted by me."

Shinji put a hand on her shoulder, not flinching when he felt the smooth scales. "I won't be."

Sakura's cheeks turned a dark green, her version of blushing.

"Y-You're going to b-be one of t-the workers." Sakura said, and pointed a scaled finger at a metal collar with the Fire Nation symbol on it. Shinji stored the rage he felt from seeing the honorable Fire Nation symbol on such a cruel item, as he would with the rest of the anger he would feel while in the Circus until he could release it and free Sakura. Shinji promised himself that he would make destroying this Circus his only goal in life, his will stronger than ever before. "Y-You have a c-collar on now, t-though."

Shinji noticed it, and frowned, half of his face not moving as much.

"A-Are you r-really a b-bounty hunter?" Sakura asked

"Yes, but not anymore." Shinji said when the Ringmaster walked into the room. Sakura immediately flinched when he walked up to the cage.

"Hello, Ash Bounty Hunter." Ringmaster said.

"Shinji." Shinji corrected.

Ringmaster opened the cage, and Shinji walked out, feeling the Ringmaster's eyes on hi,

"You won't give me any trouble, will you, Bounty Hunter?" Ringmaster asked.

"I can't bend, and I don't have a sword." Shinji said, remembering a moment he had with Toph.

_"Why don't you ever use the Jian Sword I gave you?" Toph asked._

_ "It's special to me," Shinji said. "You don't use things special to you in combat."_

_ "Huh." Toph said. "You're weird."_

_ "Yes, I am." Shinji said._

Shinji looked, determined, into the Ringmaster's eyes. "What do you want me to do?"

The Ringmaster shivered, then said "Clean for the show. Bathe the freaks," Ringmaster gestured around to the cages. "No one else will, and you're already a freak, so you can't catch anything."

Shinji glared at him, both of his eyes sharp. Shinji's mouth was affected by atrophied muscles, but the muscles around his eyes were normal.

"Yes." Shinji said simply.

"Yes what?" Ringmaster asked.

"Yes I'll do this task that you've told me to do because of your phobia, you heartless bastard." Shinji said.

The Ringmaster growled. "You'll pay for that comment later."

"Looking forward to it," Shinji said.

_Across the desert, in a small town._

Toph sat across from Sokka and Aang, and hadn't cried. She had convinced herself crying wouldn't help.

"The sandbenders said a circus took him." Toph said. "I can't believe he treated me better than an average person. I mean, he promised he wouldn't!"

"He did that because he's your boyfriend and you were injured." Aang said. "Where was the circus?"

"Right there." Toph said sarcastically, tapping a random spot on the map. "I only know it's a circus because the sandbenders told me."

"It's probably the one Ty Lee was in." Sokka said.

"Ty Lee, Ty Lee!" Toph said. "My boyfriend's in the desert because of her!" Toph blushed, covering her mouth with both hands after realizing she had finally called Shinji her boyfriend.

"Don't worry, Toph. We'll find him." Aang said. "Let's get you to Katara first, though, so she can heal your leg."

"Alright." Toph said.


	23. Chapter 23

Shinji sat beside Sakura, being healed.

"Why don't you try to escape?" Shinji asked Sakura after she had finished healing him. "You're a powerful bender, and could make it out easily."

"I-I don't want t-to leave. S-Sure, it's b-bad here, but o-out _there_..." Sakura sighed, tearing up. "I'm a f-freak, Shinji. Y-You can c-change your ways, but I-I can't c-change my l-looks."

"I can't change my past, Sakura." Shinji said, sitting up and pulling Sakura close, giving her the first hug she had ever received. "There's always the chance that the next time I turn a corner one of my old enemies will kill me, and I'm still haunted by my memories. I can only sleep when I'm extremely tired and won't dream, and I was dying a month ago."

Sakura rested against Shinji's chest, unsure of what to do. She began to move her arms to hug him back, then made sure to ask first. "C-Can I h-hug you b-back?" Sakura asked, her stuttering problem worse.

"Of course. We're friends." Shinji smiled.

Sakura hugged him back, smiling.

"Why don't you ever leave your cage except when you have to perform?" Shinji asked.

"I-I don't see the p-point in it." Sakura said, snuggling up to Shinji.

Shinji patted her murky green hair and asked "Tomorrow, will you come out of the cage with me?"

"O-Okay." Sakura said.

_An Earth Kingdom colony._

"What do you mean the Circus left?" Sokka shouted.

"It left." An older man shrugged.

"Where?" Aang asked.

"I don't know." The old man said. "Probably some small Earth Kingdom colony."

"We're _in_ an Earth Kingdom colony!" Sokka shouted.

"Sorry about him. We've searched a lot of Earth Kingdom colonies, and we're tired." Katara said.

The old man thought for a second, and said "You know that Fire Nation Circus isn't really for kids, right?"

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

"It's a freak show nowadays. The Ringmaster rounds up weird-looking people, beats them into submission, and makes them do tricks." The old man said. "Makes me sick."

"Oh no." Sokka said.

"That's even worse than a normal circus." Toph said. "They knew he was the Ash Bounty Hunter, and he was losing his bending."

"Losing his bending? How?" Sokka asked.

"Most firebenders are taught to fight using rage. Shinji wasn't angry anymore, so he can't fight his way out." Toph said.

"Didn't that happen to Zuko?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah, but that doesn't help Shinji." Toph said.

"Come to think of it, they're going to a colony in the west." The old man said.

"Why didn't you remember that earlier!" Sokka shouted.

_Along a path to an Earth Kingdom colony._

"This circus used to be Fire Nation-exclusive," Shinji remembered. "But now it just goes wherever." Shinji had been walking beside the caravans for hours, and his feet were blistered, his items taken from him when he first got to the Circus.

"Those were better days." The Ringmaster said.

"For you. Everyone's life would be better without you." Shinji growled.

"I provide sanctuary from the outside world! I help the freaks!" The Ringmaster said, smiling.

'He truly believes this.' Shinji realized, storing his anger. He would free Sakura and the others soon.

"What would you do if I let you go, Shin?" The Ringmaster asked playfully.

"Take Sakura and go back to Ba Sing Se." Shinji answered.

"How romantic."

"I have a girlfriend."

"Sakura doesn't know that. She loves you. Did you know that?"

Shinji's seeing eye's pupil shrank in surprise, but he kept a brave face on otherwise. "No."

"Oh well, I guess you'll burn that bridge when you come to it." The Ringmaster said.


	24. Chapter 24

Sokka, Aang, Toph, and Katara were at the freak show, planning on breaking Shinji free once the show started. Shinji didn't know that, though, and neither did the Ringmaster, who had forced Shinji to participate inside of the show that night.

Shinji had been forced to cover himself in ash, then have black makeup around his blind eye, drawing focus to it. He then wore ripped brown pants, and was presented as 'The Ash-Skinned Bounty Hunter.'

'Finally,' Shinji thought. 'Enough anger.'

The Ringmaster walked onto the stage, smiling when he saw the full crowd.

"Hello!" The Ringmaster said. "Tonight, we have a special treat for you! Two of our freaks have started a- dare I say it? -romance, and, tonight, we reveal the two freaks!"

Shinji nearly growled. The Ringmaster had been taunting Shinji every day about Sakura's affections, and, as the Ringmaster would say, tonight was the night everything came to an end.

The Ringmaster opened the curtain, revealing Shinji and Sakura. The crowd, Team Avatar not counted, gasped in shock.

"'Why is that boy ash-skinned?' I hear you ask!" The Ringmaster shouted. "Because he is The Ash-Skinned Bounty Hunter! And this fish-girl is his girlfriend, Sakura!"

Someone threw a rock at Sakura, and Shinji caught it midair, seconds before it hit her.

"Now, for tonight's true main event!" Shinji shouted, an insane glint in his eye. He grabbed the Ringmaster around the neck, hoisting him above his head. "A true freak, a cold-hearted monster gets burned alive!"

The crowd immediately began screaming, some running. Team Avatar, though, tried to stop Shinji as he coated his arm in fire.

The Team didn't reach him in time, though. Sakura did. She took him in a tender hug, and he stopped, looking down at her. Sweat dripped down his forehead, washing the ash and makeup from his face, revealing his normal appearance.

"Help!" The Ringmaster said. Shinji dropped him, and fell to his knees, still being held by Sakura.

The Ringmaster tried attacking Shinji with a fire whip, pure anger in his face, when a rock smashed into him, knocking him out.

"Leave Shinji alone!" Toph shouted.

Shinji looked up, seeing Toph, but couldn't stand. He didn't have the energy. Sakura, though, did, helping Shinji up.

"C'mon." Sakura smiled. "You have to see your girlfriend, right?"

Sakura helped Shinji to Toph, and Toph hugged Shinji, and he hugged her back.

"Miss me?" He asked.

"No. Iroh missed his most frequent customer, though, and you know how he is." Toph smiled. "What are we going to do about this place?"

"Open all of the cages, then burn the rest down." Shinji said, then looked at the Ringmaster, his broken nose leaking over his clothes. "I want to kill him, but I know it's wrong."

"We'll give him to the local people to decide what to do." Katara said. "How many cages are there?"

"Five, each with two people in them." Shinji said. "I need to learn to firebend."

"Because not being a bender is _so_ bad." Sokka said, rolling his eyes.

Shinji smiled crookedly. "I really missed having someone to argue with."

"So, what was that about romance between you and Sakura?" Toph asked.

"I-It was a-a misunderstanding," Sakura said, her cheeks green. This was, obviously, a lie, and she still had feelings for Shinji.

"Yeah." Shinji agreed, scratching the back of his head.

**A/N: Finally that arc's over. It was better in my head.**

**-MN1**


	25. Chapter 25

Shinji sat, meditating, on Appa's back. Sakura tried mimicking him, but one of her eyes were opened slightly to see what he was doing.

"S-So, you j-just sit w-with your eyes c-closed?" Sakura asked.

"Pretty much." Toph said.

"Shinji's like an old man in a young man's body. He was so near death he only focuses on bigger things while younger people- like us -focus on smaller things." Katara explained.

"Thank you." Shinji said, moving and standing on one arm.

Sakura looked alarmed. "D-Do I h-have to d-do that?"

"No." Shinji said.

"What are you doing that's so weird?" Toph asked, picking between her toes.

"I'm upside-down using one arm to hold myself up," Shinji said, like it was an average occurrence.

Toph immediately thought of Toph. "Why?" Toph asked, trying not to be blunt as she usually was.

"I'm trying to see what Ty Lee finds so attractive about this view of the world." Shinji said.

Toph heard 'Ty Lee' and 'attractive' in the same breath, setting off alarms in her head. "It's not like I can't stand on one hand, too!" Toph said, and almost attempted it when Shinji quickly tackled her to the ground.

"I'd rather not repeat our previous venture." Shinji said, looking down at the sand.

"Sorry," Toph said.

Shinji shrugged, poking Toph's nose before he stood, meditating once more.

Toph sat up, then blushed and asked "When he was on top of me, did it...?"

"It looked dirty." Sokka said.

Shinji, however, didn't hear this conversation, lost in memories. Memories of his parent's death, memories of every single bounty he had ever taken, and memories of fulfilling the contracts.

When the team arrived at Kiyoshi Island, the others ran ahead, leaving Sakura and Shinji behind.

"Y-You don't h-have to s-stay behind w-with me." Sakura said.

Shinji shrugged. "I don't mind. Maybe they can tell the villagers I'm coming. I'm not exactly-!" Shinji dodged a fan, pulling Sakura down with him, his black hair getting a single strand cut. Shinji stood, looking at the Kiyoshi Warriors around him. "Where's Ty Lee?" Shinji asked, and the Warriors took it the wrong way, believing he was now hunting the cheery Kiyoshi Warrior, and ran forward, attacking him.

Shinji dodged several blows, counterattacking a Warrior who tried to use chi-blocking attacks. Shinji took her sword, spinning the weapon in his hands.

"I am here with the Avatar." Shinji said, and brought his sword up quickly, deflecting a fan that was aimed to take his head off. "Peace never works." Shinji sighed, and the Kiyoshi Warriors suddenly put their fans up, standing at attention.

"Hey Shins!" Ty Lee said, walking on her hands. "Why are you fighting my friends?"

Shinji firmly planted the sword in the ground. "Self-defense. I take it they know me as the 'Ash Bounty Hunter'?"

"Yep!" Ty Lee said, then her smile changed to a frown. "I forgot to tell them you had changed."

Shinji shrugged. "Don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it." Toph mocked, stomping on the ground. She had aimed to his Ty Lee, but Shinji, picking up the sword at the precise moment and placing it behind him, confused Toph. Toph shot Shinji several feet in the air, and he promptly got stuck in a tree.

Shinji shook quickly, then called down. "All earthbenders, step forward."

Toph and Aang took a step forward.

"Should I guess who got me stuck up here?" Shinji asked. "And should I choose who will get me out?"

"Don't worry about it, Shins!" Aang said, then shot air into the tree. Shinji fell to the ground, slamming his back on the ground.

Shinji laid there, silent, and Ty Lee asked "Are you dead?"

Shinji shook his head, then breathed out and stood, a bruise already forming on his back. "I would prefer no one shoots me from trees. Understood?"

Everyone, even the Kiyoshi Warriors, nodded, the ice in Shinji's voice making him seem like a military commander.

"Good." Shinji sighed.


	26. Chapter 26

Shinji sat on the floor, not able to sit in a chair without hurting his bruise.

"I thought it was a good idea at the time." Aang shrugged.

"It was. The lack of a landing wasn't." Shinji said, sipped his tea, and said "So, you are the fabled Kiyoshi Warriors?"

"Yep." Ty Lee said. "We kicked your butt!"

"Why didn't you firebend, though?" Suki asked, confused.

"He can't." Sokka said. "He's all happy and stuff."

"Why doesn't Aang teach him how to firebend?" Suki asked.

Everyone, except Shinji, Toph, and Sakura, looked at Aang.

"I never thought about it." Aang said.

"I'd rather learn from the Fire Lord. No offense." Shinji said.

Suki sat beside Sakura and offered her tea. Sakura flinched when Suki offered her tea, however.

"Are you okay?" Suki asked.

Sakura blushed, her cheeks green. "I-I'm not u-used to p-people," Sakura said. "I-I thought y-you were g-going to c-call me a f-freak."

"You're not a freak. From what I've seen you're just a shy girl." Suki smiled.

"With really bad skin." Sokka said, and dodged a ball of flame and a fan, both at the same time. "How'd you shoot fire?" Sokka asked, running behind Aang.

"You pissed me off." Shinji shrugged.

"So, why did you come here instead of getting to use firebending again?" Suki asked.

"Because I owe my friends." Shinji said. "They saved my life, so I'm trying to repay them."

"You don't have to." Katara said.

"I will, though." Shinji said, and stood, wincing from pain.

"I think your back may have a problem, not just the bruise." Sokka said.

"Lemme fix it!" Ty Lee said quickly, kicking Shinji in the small of his back. He immediately fell to the ground, not even having time to shout in pain.

Shinji took several deep breaths then, coldly, said "Ty Lee, why the _hell_ can't I move my leg?"

"Oops." Ty Lee said, standing normally and tapping her chin with a finger, thinking. "I might have just temporarily crippled you."

"How long is temporary?"

"It's not going to last-"

"How. Long?"

"Maybe the rest of the day if you won't let me use some more chiropractic moves."

"Chiropractic moves are putting your leg behind your head. That was chi-blocking." Shinji said, standing up, balancing on his right leg. He irritably grabbed Sokka's sword and sheath, using it as a cane.

"Is there an old man in here or is Shinji using a cane?" Toph asked, laughing.

A vein popped out in Shinji's head. "I don't burn people alive anymore." He chanted.

"Not that you can." Aang said and, suddenly, a sword and sheath flew across the room as Shinji fell to the floor, slamming onto it.

"What's wrong with your face?" Suki asked, the bangs moving so that Shinji's face was revealed to the room.

"He's just ugly." Sokka shrugged.

"You're first." Shinji said.

"For what?"

"You get to see 'what for' first."

"Can we just keep him unable to walk and firebend? I think he's going to kill me." Sokka said.

"Oh wow," Toph said, clapping. "You amaze us with your intelligence."

"Ty Lee, would you kindly pop my back into place?" Shinji asked.

"Sure!" Ty Lee said brightly, rolling Shinji over on his back.

"I could've done that myself." Shinji said.

"I know." Ty Lee said. "I just wanted to see what it'd be like to roll you over."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"D-Did that c-come out r-right?" Sakura asked, breaking the silence.

"It better not have." Toph growled.

Ty Lee brought her fist back, then hit a single spot on Shinji's back.

"Done and done!" Ty Lee announced, and Shinji stood.

"That was...odd. Never try helping me with back problems again." Shinji said.


	27. Chapter 27

Shinji awoke, remembering the past week in the village, and put black pants, a sleeveless shirt, and his boots on, then walked out, seeing Sakura wearing Kiyoshi Warrior clothes and makeup.

"I take it you've become a Kiyoshi Warrior?" Shinji asked.

"Y-Yeah." Sakura smiled. "I-I don't k-know where I-I was b-born and h-had no w-where else t-to go, s-so the K-Kiyoshi Warriors t-took me i-in."

"We're going to have a bunch of fun!" Ty Lee smiled, putting an arm around Sakura.

Shinji smiled, bowing. "I'm sure you'll make an amazing Warrior, Sakura. Thank you."

"F-For what?" Sakura asked.

"Being my friend." Shinji said, looking Sakura directly into the eyes.

Sakura fell to the ground, still blushing as she fainted.

"Good job, Shins." Toph said.

"Hm. I wonder why she did that." Shinji said.

"Idiot." Toph sighed. "Ready to go."

Shinji took out a piece of paper, quickly writing a goodbye note to Sakura. Later, when Sakura awoke and read the letter, would pass out when she read the words 'Love, Shinjiro.' at the end of the letter.

"Alright. Goodbye." Shinji waved to the village, the Warriors waving back (or, rather, the ones not taking Sakura to the infirmary.)

"Isn't Suki fantastic?" Sokka asked dreamily, having received a kiss from Suki earlier.

"If you say so." Toph said.

"Someone's bitter. Don't you have a boyfriend?" Sokka asked.

"Yes." Toph said, grabbing Shinji's arm.

"I have a feeling you two have a history I don't know about." Shinji said.

"Really? No, we're just bickering because we argue all of the time!" Sokka said.

"You _do_ argue all of the time, Sokka. Just not with Toph." Katara said. "You argue a lot with Shinji."

"But we argue because we're friends, right?" Sokka asked Shinji.

"Coulda fooled me." Toph said.

"Nobody asked you." Sokka said.

"It's like two platypus-bears fighting over cabbage." Shinji said.

Everyone went silent, looking at Shinji.

"I've seen some messed-up things," Shinji admitted.


	28. Chapter 28

In the middle of the night, minutes before the Team would've fallen to sleep, a hawk flew to the campsite, landing on Sokka's head.

"Okay," Sokka said. "Why is there a bird on my head?"

"It likes your ponytail." Shinji said dryly, taking the letter out of the hawk's backpack. "Hey, Zuko sent you a letter, Aang."

"What's it say?" Aang asked.

"That Azula broke out of the insane asylum." Shinji said. "Hm. Azula, his sister. Is that bad?"

"Duh. It's terrible! Don't you know anything?" Toph asked.

"I didn't keep up with current events when you were saving the Earth Kingdom." Shinji admitted.

"Why not?" Sokka asked.

"When you're dying and have no future, the future doesn't mean anything." Shinji said.

"You're depressing." Sokka moaned.

Shinji shrugged, and Aang grabbed the letter from his hand, reading it quickly.

"What are we going to do?" Aang asked.

"I don't even know who Azula is." Shinji said. "But I would like to learn firebending, because I have a feeling she's going to attack us."

"How?" Sokka asked.

"She's insane, and you seem worried." Shinji said. "And, if she asks anyone who is around you, they'll say I am."

"Are you sure you're not over thinking this?" Katara asked.

"The prepared survive." Shinji said.

"Coming from someone who was being killed by a plant..." Sokka muttered, then rolled to the side.

Shinji looked at him oddly. "What?"

"Oh. Right. Can't shoot fire at me." Sokka said. "So, we're going to Zuko's?"

Shinji nodded. "I would appreciate getting my firebending back. I hate not being able to..." Shinji noticed Sokka's glare. "Sorry."

"Oh yay, we get to sleep over at Zuko's!" Toph said. "I bet his palace has metal floors. I can't see out of them as well as normal rock floors."

"It might be fun." Shinji said.

"I swear I just heard Katara, not my boyfriend." Toph said.

"Hey, that did sound just like something Katara would say!" Sokka said, smiling.

"Boyfriend." Shinji smiled. "Does that mean I get to call you my girlfriend?"

Toph blushed brightly. "Um..."

"Silence is a yes." Shinji said, then "That sounded much too creepy."

"We'll head out tomorrow," Katara said. "Make sure to get some rest."

Shinji's smile withered when he heard a twig snap, and he whirled around, looking into the darkness.

"Who's there?" Shinji asked when, suddenly, a chunk of earth flew at his head. Toph barely grabbed it, keeping him from getting hit.

"What, are you blind?" Toph asked.

"Halfway." Shinji said, barely dodging another rock. He quickly measured the angle and grabbed Sokka's club, a replacement made after losing one of his other ones, and ran into the darkness, keeping low to the ground. A fist-sized rock flew at Shinji, and Shinji swung the club, smashing the rock.

"That's my club!" Sokka said.

"He's pretty good." Katara said.

Shinji jumped over another flying rock, noting that the hidden attacker was moving. Or, rather, running. Shinji ran to the right faster than he previously ran, smashing into the attacker and landing on top of him. Shinji put the club to his throat, or, rather, where he hoped his throat was, unable to see anything in the night. Shinji heard a choking sound, and he loosened his hold, not wanting to kill his attacker.

"Aang, give me some light." Shinji said once the others had found him. Aang held up a hand, surrounding it in fire.

"A girl?" Shinji asked, surprised. It was, in fact, an eleven-year-old girl. Shinji was so surprised that the girl was able to hit him with a rock, sending him flying back. Toph quickly knocked her out and ran to Shinji's side. Shinji, his lip busted and his nose bleeding, said "Ow." before blacking out.


	29. Chapter 29

Shinji awoke with a painful head ache in a bed that wasn't his. Shinji replayed the night's events, and was still shocked that a little girl could have so much hate in her eyes.

'Is this another girl trying to kill me because of someone I killed?' Shinji wondered when, cutting of his thoughts, the door opened.

"You got knocked out by a girl." Toph smiled.

"Girls are tough. Especially earthbending girls." Shinji said. "Have you found anything out?"

"Only her name." Katara said. "Her name is Hana."

"Ring any bells?" Toph asked.

Shinji shook his head, then frowned as pain shot through his brain. "No."

"She wants to talk to you alone." Katara said. "Do you think it's safe?"

"Is she in a metal room?" Shinji asked.

"Yes." Katara said.

"Then I'm fairly sure I'll be fine. Maybe." Shinji said, sitting up. "Ow."

"Are you okay?" Toph asked.

"I'll be fine." Shinji said, standing and feeling the rock floor. "Hm. I hoped I'd be able to have a reason to hold your hand." Shinji looked at Toph, smiling. "I suppose being your boyfriend's a good enough reason."

They walked to Hana's room in silence alone, Toph blushing and smiling, trying not to let Shinji see it while he held back an ear-to-ear smile.

A Fire Nation guard bowed, and Shinji bowed back.

"She's been staring at the door for hours." The guard said.

"Well, let's not keep her waiting." Shinji said, and the guard opened the door, seeing Hana in the light for the first time. She had brown hair, tan skin, and furious green eyes that were scarier than some of the bounties Shinji had collected. Shinji sat across from her, letting warmth into his features. How could he keep the emotion from his face? Hana was an adorable little girl if you didn't focus on the hatred directed towards a certain firebender.

"Hello." Shinji smiled. "I'm-"

"Shinjiro Iroh Banasshu." Hana said coldly. "You gained several hundred-thousand in both Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation currency from your bounties, then suddenly stopped bounty-hunting. Then, you reemerged by killing a low-bounty criminal."

Shinji's smile disappeared as soon as the girl said his whole name. In a admittedly-futile attempt to prove her wrong, Shinji asked "Low-bounty criminal? I haven't killed anyone-"

"Since that man in the Earth Kingdom," Hana said, and she stood. Outside of the cell, the guard began to hurriedly try unlocking the door.

"Shinji can take a little girl who's hands are tied easy, even without bending." Toph said.

"That girl was cuffed to the chair by metal chains!" The guard said. "She couldn't stand!"

"What does that mean?" Katara asked as Toph's smile slowly faded.

"Nothing good." The guard said moments before Hana's arms came out from behind her back, the cuff's metal floating.

Shinji immediately jumped up, toppling the chair.

"There's two metalbenders?" Shinji asked.

Hana nodded. "You can do anything with enough practice."

Shinji immediately looked for a place to run moments before he felt cold steel around his ankles.

"Why are you doing this?" Shinji shouted, and two pieces of metal clamped on his wrists, then flew backwards, causing him to hit the wall, unable to move.

"You killed my mother!" Hana shouted, crying, though still furious. "How could you?"

Shinji remembered every terrified face from the people he'd killed, finding a matching face.

"Hana Suton," Shinji said. "Three murderers, two thefts, and five killed guards. The bounty was pretty hight."

"She didn't kill anyone!" Hana said.

"Yes, she did." Shinji said. "She killed one person while I was tracking her."

"She would never take a life!" Hana shouted.

"Just like you wouldn't, right?" Shinji asked, sliding his head to the left to avoid a metal shard. "Everyone can kill, no matter what face they put on near others. It's a fact of life. Whether by accident or on purpose, humans hold other's lives in their hands, whether they know it or not. And, right now, my life is in your hands. Are you going to kill me, or are you going to let me live?"

"I-I..." Hana fell to her knees. "Was my mom really a killer?"

"Yes." Shinji said. "I'm sorry I killed her, though. It isn't right to take lives, no matter what someone did, for any amount of money."

The metal fell off of Shinji's wrists, and he went to Hana's side, sitting on his knees. He held the little girl, and Toph finally got the door open.


	30. Chapter 30

Toph finally got the door open, and Shinji stood, having talked with Hana for several minutes.

"What was with all that hugging?" Toph asked, lifting a sizable chunk of metal and aiming it at Hana.

"Hana isn't against us anymore." Shinji said. "She's a good metalbender."

"I'll say." Toph narrowed her blind eyes. "How did you learn to metalbend?"

"I practiced for a long, long time." Hana said, lifting her hands and tapping the scars on her knuckles from long hours of punching metal.

"She's lifting her fists." Shinji said. "Hana, Toph is blind."

"Really?" Hana asked, surprised. "I thought she just had really pretty eyes."

Sokka ran in the room, shouting. "Where is the earthbender?" Sokka asked.

Sokka looked around the room, then saw Hana. Immediately, he ran forward, swinging the sword down. Shinji slid in front of Hana, slapping both hands on the sides of the sword, narrowly keeping it from slicing him in half.

"Hana's our friend." Shinji said.

"Oh. How'd you catch my sword?" Sokka asked.

"I learned it from an old man when I was ten. He'd taught himself how to stop a blade after getting his shoulder cut open. He was fairly nuts, but a good teacher." Shinji said, releasing Sokka's sword.

"Huh. Wanna teach me sometime?" Sokka asked.

"Why not?" Shinji shrugged. "Let's introduce the team to Hana before Aang comes in here. I don't want to fight an airbender."

A few minutes later, and everyone was in the dining room, including Zuko.

"We've officially started taking in any and all bounty-hunters you can find." Toph said, picking at her teeth.

"That isn't necessarily a bad thing." Shinji said. "This is Hana, an earthbender. I...err, killed her mother."

"You what?" Katara asked angrily. Shinji had no idea that her own mother had been taken from her.

"Say hello." Shinji said, sitting down quickly. Katara intimidated him much more than Hana had.

"Hello." Hana said, and stood, then bowed. She quickly sat down, and her stomach growled.

"Zuko, can we get her some food?" Shinji asked, and turned to Hana. "When's the last time you ate."

Hana shrugged, and was surprised when two servants gave her some food.

"While you eat and meet the team, I need to train with Shinji." Zuko said.

"Thanks." Hana said.

Shinji stood, following Zuko.

"How's life been since I left?" Zuko asked.

"A lot better. I don't cough up blood every few breaths, and Toph and I are officially girlfriend and boyfriend." Shinji said.

"You mean there's a difference between official and unofficial?" Zuko asked.

"You tell me. This is all so confusing. I'm not used to laughing or joking around."

"You lost your childhood, didn't you? Then you lost yourself."

"I had to, to survive."

"I know how that is. I lost myself trying to regain honor." Zuko said. "I'm sure you hung around Iroh enough to learn a thing or two about honor."

"Yeah." Shinji admitted. "He's a man my father would've been friends with."

"What was your father like?" Zuko asked.

"He let me learn my own way after showing me a few things. Really easygoing." Shinji said, remembering his father. "My mother was much like him."

Before Shinji could ask what Zuko's mother was like, a pale woman with long black hair walked over to him, and smiled. Shinji bowed.

"Hmm." The woman said, bowing back. "That's respectful for someone who has no idea who I am."

"I've learned that every life has meaning and should be respected." Shinji said. "I'm Shinjiro, but everyone calls me Shinji."

"I'm Ursa." The woman said.

"Nice to meet you." Shinji said, having no idea who she was.

"She's my mother." Zuko said.

"Oh." Shinji said, bowing again. "I didn't know."

"It's fine. Your hair is...peculiar." Ursa said.

Shinji lifted his bangs, showing his blind eye. To Ursa's credit, she didn't even flinch when she saw how stern the eye looked, or the slightly-darker skin on that side of his face.

"It freaks people out." Shinji said.

"Mother, I have to retrain Shinji. He can't firebend anymore." Zuko said.

"I understand." Ursa nodded. "Can I watch?"

"Alright," Zuko said, and took everything off of the top of his body off.

Shinji did the same, as it was common to train shirtless in the Fire Nation; burning clothing was, obviously, hazardous.

"Focus on breathing." Zuko said. "Firebending is about energy and life, not hatred."

Shinji kept breathing, thinking of what Zuko said. Suddenly, after two hours of training, a small fire appeared on his palms.

"Thanks." Shinji said, smiling and looking at the fire he'd generated.

"Your training isn't over." Zuko said. "If you're going to be fighting with my friends, you should be able to fight. Get ready to fight!"


	31. Chapter 31

Shinji barely dodged a ball of fire.

"Are you crazy?" Shinji shouted. "I just learned how to firebend again!"

Zuko shot a half-circle of fire at Shinji, who swiped his hand across it, then swung around and tossed the fire back at him. Shinji kept breathing, feeling the fire inside of himself. Shinji shot fire at Zuko, nearly jumping out of his skin when he realized the fire was blue.

"Interesting. Azula had blue fire." Zuko said.

"Is that good?" Shinji asked, and rolled out of the way when Zuko kicked an arc of fire at him.

"I would say yes, since you're on our side." Zuko said, and dodged a fireblast from Shinji, exactly as Shinji planned.

"Now!" Shinji said, and snapped his fingers. The ground under Zuko exploded, nearly burning Zuko with a column of flame.

"How'd you learn that?" Zuko asked.

"Some crazy kid I knew." Shinji shrugged, then dodged a rock. "Why is everyone attacking me?" Shinji asked.

"Toph! That's Shins!" Hana said.

Shinji sighed, and a few blue sparks came out of his mouth. "I thought we'd gotten past that whole 'Shins' thing and decided to call me 'Shinji.'"

"Sorry. They said they saw blue fire." Toph shrugged.

Shinji held up a ball of blue fire. "I can use blue fire, apparently."

"Is that good?" Sokka asked, looking at the fire in Shinji's hand like a small child.

"I think so." Shinji said, closing his hand on the fire.

"It is. Blue firebending is more powerful than normal firebending," Zuko said.

"Your friend looks very strong." Ursa said, walking over to the group. She had been feeding turtle-ducks, her favorite activity.

"Thank you." Shinji said.

"Can I talk to you alone?" Ursa asked.

Shinji nodded, and followed her to the turtle-duck pond.

"Don't kill Azula." Ursa said. "She's misguided, yes, but not evil. At least try, alright?" Ursa looked at Shinji and, for a second, he saw his mother.

"I'll do everything in my power," Shinji said, "to bring Azula back to you. Even if I die trying."

Ursa smiled. "Thank you. I know you had a bad past, like Zuko or Hana. Please make the present Azula's bad past, and give her the second chance someone gave you."

Shinji patted Ursa on the shoulder when, suddenly, a bird began descending. Shinji put his arm out, and the hawk landed on his bare skin painfully, drawing blood.

"Ow." Shinji said, taking the letter. It read:

'Come to the bridge. I challenge you to an Agni Kai. -Azula.'

"Well, it wasn't adressed to anyone..." Shinji said, and stood, letting blue fire turn the letter to ashes. "If I don't come back by tomorrow with your daughter, tell the others what happened. Until then, lie."

Ursa nodded, then said "Wait here. You need some clothes." When Ursa came back, she gave Shinji common Fire Nation soldier armor.

Shinji nodded thanks, putting the clothes on. He kept his normal boots on, however, considering them good luck. Then, Shinji took a small detour, walking directly beside his friends. No one knew it was him, due to the armor, though Toph did turn and look at him.

"That's a Fire Nation soldier." Sokka said.

"Oh. He has some weird boots." Toph said, and Shinji quickened his pace. Toph wouldn't know that the soldier had been Shinji until the next day.

Shinji quickly arrived at the bridge, where Azula was sitting. Her hair was like it normally had been, but she wore white pants and a strait jacket, though she sleeves had been burned up to her elbows.

"Who are you?" Azula demanded.

Shinji removed his helmet. "You challenged me to an Agni Kai."

"I meant for that to get to my brother!" Azula shouted.

"It got to me," Shinji said, and blue fire engulfed his hands. "If I win, you go back home."

"I'm not going to that nuthouse again!" Azula protested.

"Not an insane asylum. To your mother. She loves you, Azula." Shinji said.

Azula took deep breaths. To an experienced firebender, that would show that she was not only preparing to fight but also getting ready to use lightning. To Shinji, though, it looked just like she was getting ready to firebend.

"If I win, you become my henchman. And, by your honor, you can't betray me." Azula said, just crazy enough to believe anyone would follow that deal.

Shinji bowed, loyal to a fault. "Agreed."

"Good." Azula said, and Azula extended her hand, her index and middle finger extended. Lightning crackled to life around her hand, and Shinji's eyes went wide.

Shinji could just imagine what Toph would say if she was there, feeling his knees shake.

'Man up, Shinji!' Toph would've said.

Then, Shinji thought 'It's good Toph isn't here. If she got hurt, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself.'


	32. Chapter 32

Shinji barely rolled out of the way of the lightning in time to avoid being fried.

'Are all of the Fire Lord family going to attack me today?' Shinji wondered, firing a stream of fire at Azula. Azula just laughed, shooting lightning at Shinji, who jumped over it.

"You can't beat me, Shins!" Azula said.

"Aw, come on!" Shinji said, annoyed by the usage of 'Shins.' Shinji shot four fireballs at her, then kicked a crescent of fire. As Azula dodged, Shinji ran, nearly falling.

"Now!" Azula said, just as Shinji had done earlier. She fired lightning at Shinji, hitting him directly in the chest, causing him to fly backwards, then slam into the ground. Shinji rolled up into the fetal position, then stopped moving. Azula walked over to him, laughing. "I guess I should've gone easier on you." Azula said.

"Maybe." Shinji said, and threw the helmet he had grabbed when appearing to nearly fall over. It hit her forehead, leaving a red mark on Azula's head and her temper worse than ever. Shinji's good eye's pupil shrank in fear, and, suddenly, his hand shot forward as the rest of his body recoiled, smacking Azula directly in the eye.

Azula held her eye, angrier than ever, and hit Shinji in the cheek. Soon, the two were having a simple fist fight, with no firebending whatsoever. After a few minutes, Azula tired of the fight.

"Enough!" Azula shouted, throwing her hands in the air.

Shinji took the chance and kicked Azula in the face, causing her to black out due to the heaviness of his boots.

Shinji sighed, happy the fight was over, and fell on his back.

"Maybe I can get back before Ursa tells the others." Shinji said hopefully.

At Zuko's palace, however, Ursa had told everyone at the exact moment Azula had been knocked unconscious, realizing that Shinji had little chance of survival.

Shinji stood up, and picked up the unconscious Azula.

'She's kind of cute when she's not trying to kill me,' Shinji admitted to himself. Then 'I really hope she doesn't wake up.'


	33. Chapter 33

Shinji walked into the dining room with two guards following him.

"Ursa, I got your daughter." Shinji said, seeing all of his friends around the table. None of them were happy. Well, except for Ursa, who was both happy and sad.

'Are mothers really like that?' Shinji wondered.

"Hey Toph," Shinji smiled. Toph made a rock wall appear between her and Shinji, sending a very clear message; 'Stay away.' Shinji gulped as Zuko stood, looking at his sister.

"Did she hurt you?" Zuko asked.

"She blasted me with lightning, but I used that helmet your mother gave me to block it." Shinji said. "In hindsight, I'm surprised I didn't crack a rib."

Zuko looked at the guards. "Take her to the infirmary. Keep her sedated."

The guards took Azula, then bowed.

Ursa hugged Shinji quickly, surprising him.

"Thanks." Ursa said. "I'll make it up to you somehow."

"No need." Shinji said. "Though I wish you didn't tell them."

"I realized you probably would get hurt." Ursa said.

"I was formerly the Ash Bounty Hunter." Shinji said. "I only survived to this age because of my skills."

"Your skills were killing people." Sokka said, though it wasn't to be funny. Everyone in the room was very sober. Shinji, knowing he had made a mistake, bowed towards his friends.

"I'm sorry." Shinji said, holding back tears. What had he been thinking? These were his only friends he had made in years and he just ran off without telling them!

"It's okay." Aang said.

"But run off without us again and we'll chain you to Appa." Sokka smiled.

Shinji smiled, standing up straight. "Should I go talk to Toph?"

"I'd wait." Hana said. "She might hurt you, and I don't feel like protecting your flimsy firebending hide."

"She's been insulting us a lot." Katara whispered. "I guess that's her personality."

"Are all earthbenders like that?" Shinji whispered back.

Katara shrugged.

"So, uh, Hana..." Shinji said. "How are you doing?"

"Pat my head and I'll kill you." Hana said.

Shinji looked at his hand that was by his side. "I, um, wasn't planning on it."

"What do you want, then?"

"To get to know you."

"But I don't want to know you."

"What do you want?"

"To be alone."

Shinji sighed, walking towards the door. "If you hear screaming or splattering sounds, get ready to cremate me."

"Will do, Shins!" Sokka said, and Shinji stopped mid-step. "Toph said you hate being called that."

"Sokka, I can firebend now." Shinji said, his hands catching fire.

"Sorry." Sokka squeaked.

Shinji went to Toph's room, and, a moment before he put his hand on the door, a rock wall shot up.

"Until I get to tell you, face-to-face, that I'm sorry, I'm not moving." Shinji said, and sat against the rock wall.

In the infirmary, Azula had just opened her eyes. She saw her mother, but ignored her, thinking that she was a hallucination.

"I love you, Azula. I love both you and Zuko equally, and it's terrible to see you this way." Ursa said.

"It would be nice if you were real. My mother would never look me in the eye anymore." Azula said. Suddenly, Ursa leaned forward and kissed Azula on the forehead. Azula's eyes immediately began pouring tears, and Azula hugged her mother tightly.

Zuko, who had been watching, smiled and slipped through the door soundlessly. His sister had finally come back.


	34. Chapter 34

Shinji opened his button-up shirt, touching the tender, vaguely helmet-shaped spot on his ribs, and remembered what had happened to move him from Toph's door.

_Shinji sat, playing cards with himself, when Azula walked up to him._

_ "Hey Shins," Azula smiled. Apparently, she called people closed to her by nicknames, so Shinji didn't take it as offensive. That, and she was still, as Sokka said, 'nuts. Not as crazy as before, yeah, but still nuts.''_

_ "Hey Azula." Shinji smiled. "How are you doing?"_

_ Azula laughed, though it was bluntly obvious it was fake. "Fine. How are you doing?"_

_ "I, honestly, fell almost as hopeless as I did when I was about five feet from death." Shinji said._

_ "You know Toph can leave her room by the window, right?" Azula asked._

_ Shinji hit his head against the rock after every word. "No. I. Didn't."_

_ Azula put her hand behind Shinji's head. "Don't hit your head. You might cause yourself to die, leaving a vacant spot in Team Avatar."_

_ "..." Shinji looked at Azula, wondering how to respond. "Alright. So, what's that in your hand?"_

_ "Tickets mom gave me," Azula said. She had recently began calling Ursa mom. "She wants me to go with you to a play."_

_ "Huh." Shinji said, thinking._

_ "It's a stupid idea, I know. But she suggested that I had romantic feelings for you and, being basically broken up with Toph, that I should seize upon the moment." Azula said quickly, and it became apparent that, though her mother probably suggested the play, Azula had probably wanted to go on a date with a Shinji without her mother saying she should._

_ "I'll go," Shinji shrugged, standing up. "I've never seen a play."_

_ Azula smiled. "Of course. I must tell mom that this was a fantastic idea. We shall go at seven tomorrow night. Be late and I'll...Sorry."_

_ "It's okay." Shinji said._

"Could you hurry up?" Sokka asked. "I want to see how you look dressed up like Zuko!"

Shinji sighed and stepped out. His hair was in a bun at the top of his head, revealing his blind eye. He wore normal black Fire Nation clothes, and his boots.

"What's with you and those ratty boots?" Katara asked.

"They're lucky." Shinji said, sounding hurt. "So, how do I go about dating Azula?"

"Didn't you go on dates with Toph?" Katara asked, pushing a laughing Sokka out of the room.

"Maybe...I don't know." Shinji shrugged. "Toph and Azula are very different."

"Just be yourself." Katara said.

"And don't forget to have hope, right, Katara?" Zuko smiled.

"Oh, shut up, Mr. Honor!" Katara shouted.

Shinji inched out of the room, not getting the insults. As soon as he got into the hallway, Ursa and Azula saw him.

"Hello." Ursa smiled. "Why is your friend on the ground?"

"I think he passed out from lack of breathing." Shinji said, walking over and checking his pulse. "He's not dead, though."

"Did an assassin attempt to kill him, but seconds before he died you burned the assassin to death?" Azula asked.

"No. He thought I looked hilarious." Shinji said.

"Oh." Azula said.

"You look adorable." Ursa said, patting Shinji's cheek. "Though your eye is a bit...distracting."

Shinji instinctively reached up to pull hair in front of his eye, but couldn't, because Azula grabbed his hand.

"We might be late." Azula said, dragging Shinji out the door.

"Bye!" Shinji said seconds before the door shut.

"I hope they'll be okay." Ursa said.

Sokka sat up. "I feel lightheaded."

"Let's get you some water." Ursa said, offering her hand to Sokka.

"I'd like that." Sokka said, taking her hand. "Where am I?"

"In Zuko's palace. Now hush, and focus on walking. You may have brain damage."

"What's that?"

"You _probably_ have brain damage."


	35. Chapter 35

Shinji was uncomfortable, to say the least. They had put him in a dark room full of strangers, and Shinji couldn't see any exits. Needless to say, this was contrary to everything he had learned about stealth attacks during his time as a bounty hunter.

"You seem nervous," Azula said, trying to make small talk before the play started.

"I am," Shinji admitted, and Azula smiled, thinking she had the upper hand, so to speak.

"It's going to be fine." Azula said, looking at the stage. "This is just a play for an old story."

"I don't like being in the dark." Shinji said.

"Afraid of the dark, like a child?"

"No, I'm not afraid. I'm suspicious, but not of the dark. Of the people inside the dark."

"That must be your nerves."

"Sure."

Azula noted the doubt in Shinji's voice, and tried to be reassuring, putting her hand on his shoulder and smiling. "It's going to be fine. No being alive could take the two strongest firebenders alive."

Shinji smiled, though he doubted he was even in the top ten strongest firebenders. Sure, he had blue fire, but it wasn't like he could fire lightning from his fingertips.

"The play's starting." Azula said, and took her hand off Shinji's shoulder. Surprising himself, he missed it's warmth.

'Maybe I was a bit too hasty in choosing Toph as my first girlfriend,' Shinji admitted. 'Fire and fire go along much better together, anyways.'

After the play, Shinji and Azula walked out together.

"That was worse than I remember," Azula admitted.

Shinji shrugged. "I have to admit, I'm not a fan."

"Sorry. Mom loves those playwrights almost as much as the Emerald Island Players." Azula said.

"Is she the only one?" Shinji smiled.

"I wish your smile wasn't crooked." Azula said bluntly. When she saw Shinji's smile disappear she hurriedly said "I mean that, I wish your smile wasn't crooked because that would mean your face wouldn't be so messed up." Azula blushed even more. "Why can't I make correct sentences around you?"

Shinji put his hand on her shoulder, much like she had to him. "It's alright. You mean you wish I never got infected, right?"

Azula nodded.

"See? No harm done." Shinji smiled.

Azula looked Shinji in the eyes and, surprising both of them, leaned forward and kissed him. Then, unlike the tough, firebending princess she was, walked forward quickly, hiding her face from Shinji, who was standing frozen. Then, he followed, putting his hands and his pockets and smiling like a fool. Azula was smiling too, but her smile looked vicious.

'I'll have to work on that,' Azula remembered.

_The next day._

"Get up!" Someone said, interrupting my first actual night of sleep. The others were full of nightmares, while this one only had dreams of...Well, you can guess who. The voice was none-too-happy, but I was tired, so I didn't ignore the fact that I could be hurt badly if I didn't follow her orders.

"No." I moaned, pulling the covers up to my neck. Suddenly, my bed flipped over. I crawled out from under it and glared at Toph. "You know, you could've hurt me."

"The big bad Ash Bounty Hunter can take it." Toph said. "Did you really kiss Azula?"

"Would it be your business if I did?" I asked, flipping the bed upright. Toph made a metal column rise, pushing it back over. I sighed, and decided to wait for Toph to leave before fixing my bed.

"I kind of is." Toph said. "Aren't we dating?"

"Somewhere between the anger and the rock walls I figured our relationship was over." I said. "Was I wrong?"

"Is it because I'm so young? Or because I'm blind?" Toph asked.

"No. It's because you were pissed at me." I said. "So our relationship ended."

Toph looked at me, and my heart hurt.

'Mixed feelings? You should've avoided girls, Shinji. Life on the road was easier.' I thought, then forced the thoughts from my mind. Every so often I'd feel like running off and becoming a bounty hunter again was the best option, like an addiction. But in truth, it was something else entirely. It was an infection, and there wasn't a simple cure like my older infection. I would have to cure it myself, and I wasn't sure I could.


	36. Chapter 36

Sokka opened the door, saying "Your girlfriend's here" before he could realize the scene before him.

"Which girlfriend? I'm losing track." Toph said, her voice razors.

"Kairi." Sokka said, holding his mouth.

I stood, scratching the back of my head. I noticed something, though. There wasn't as much hair on the back of my head as yesterday. I noticed the scissors in Toph's hand and put two and two together.

"Just laugh already," I said. Sokka burst out laughing, as did Toph to laugh. I walked into a bathroom, looking over my hair. Toph was blind, of course, so my hair was uneven slashing cut that made me look not unlike a child who had cut his own hair with safety scissors. I quickly grabbed some scissors and began cutting, trying to salvage something from the mess that was my previously long hair.

Halfway through my haircut Katara and Kairi walked in.

"Hello," I said, doing the back of my head.

"Sorry." Kairi said, making a choking sound.

"Just laugh." I sighed.

"Shinji, did Toph really cut your hair when you were sleeping?" Katara asked.

"Yes. I think she's angry." Shinji said. "Who told her about my date with Azula?"

"I told Aang not to." Katara said.

"Who told Aang?" I asked.

"Zuko." Katara said.

"Hm. I thought he could keep a secret better. I talked to him about my date to make sure he was okay with it." I cut a long strand of hair on the back of my head and walked over to a bath, dipping my upper body into the water to get the hair off of me. When I resurfaced Zuko was also in the bathroom.

"Sorry," Zuko said.

"It's okay. Why is everyone coming into the bathroom?"

"Because the whole Fire Nation knows about, well..." Zuko made scissor motions.

I stood, looking in the mirror.

"You look like me when my hair was short." Zuko said.

"How did you learn to cut your own hair?" Katara asked.

"I cut my hair badly for years as I kid, and I gradually got better." I said.

Kairi breathed deeply, wiping tears from her eyes. "Sorry. You know, your eye isn't so bad when your hair is longer. Sorry, by the way."

"It's water under the bridge." I said. "Did you just come to have fun at the palace, like we are?"

"Pretty much." Kairi admitted, and made the water from the tub hit Zuko and I.

We both looked at each other and made the water evaporate off of our bodies.

"I forgot they could do that." Kairi said, then ran as I grabbed a pair of scissors.

"Don't make me go all Toph on you!" I laughed.

"Did you just use your ex-girlfriend's name as a verb?" Zuko asked.

"Maybe." I said, putting the scissors down. "Do you have a girlfriend?"

Zuko nodded. "Want to meet her?"

"I need to get dressed, though." I said, gesturing to my pajamas.

"According to stories from Aang, you used to wear less than that."

"Next time Aang tells you a story, I'm going to burn him to ash."

On the other side of the palace, Aang began to worry, looking around the house.

Zuko and I left after I got dressed, talking about random things.

"So, how was the play?" Zuko asked.

"Not the best first play to see." I said.

"Those are better than the Emerald Island Players, at least."

"You mean you can get _worse_?"

"Hey." A girl with dark hair said. I noticed a few small, nearly unnoticeable, bulges in her clothing, and I immediately knew that she had more than a few concealed weapons. The girl herself, though, seemed emotionless.

"This is Mai." Zuko said.

I bowed, as was my custom. "Hello. I'm Shinji."

"Aren't you the one who fought Azula?" Mai asked.

I nodded.

"Are you stupid, or just suicidal?" Mai asked, crossing her arms.

"I don't know. I like thinking loyal to a fault, since Zuko's mother asked me to help Azula, but it's probably stupid." I said. "But I do know that you have around one-hundred and fifty concealed weapons, meaning you have a lot of training."

Mai nearly showed surprise. Nearly. "Hm. You really are good at fighting."

"If you'd seen the fight, you'd say I was just lucky." I admitted.


	37. Chapter 37

I walked back to the palace alone, Zuko wanting alone time with Mai. I could understand why; she was a good-looking girl. As soon as my hand touched the door, Katara opened the door.

'Something's up.' I thought.

"Thanks," I said, walking into the room.

"Shinji, could you do us a teensy, weensy little favor?" Katara asked.

'Knew it.' I thought.

"Sure." I said.

"Could you, um..." Katara began.

"Get Hana out of our hair for a day." Sokka said nonchalantly.

"What Sokka meant to say is-" Katara began, angry at her brother.

"No problem." I said with a small smile. "Why?"

"We want her to calm down a bit. She barely talks, and we're worried she's in a really dark place, even if she doesn't want to kill you." Katara said.

I nodded, and went to Hana's room. I knocked on the door, and Hana immediately said "Whatever you want, I don't care."

"Do you want to go somewhere today?" I asked.

"Didn't you hear me?" Hana asked.

I sighed. "Please go somewhere with me today?"

"Will you keep talking if I don't?"

"I've been known to wait outside of earthbender's doors."

Hana sighed and opened the door with her bending.

"What do you have in mind?" Hana asked.

I shrugged. "Whatever you want."

Hana sighed. "I'm already regretting not killing you with the door."

"Why don't you use rocks that much?" I asked. "Shouldn't metal be harder to bend?"

"Not for me." Hana said. "I'm a freak. I suck at bending rocks. I can only toss them, not any of the cool things Toph does. I can only bend metal."

"That doesn't make you a freak." I said.

"Yes it does! My parents always said so! They'd train me for hours and hours and I just couldn't learn!" Hana started crying, and I put my hands on her shoulders.

"You're not a freak, Hana." I said. "You're an extremely talented bender. I mean, you can control metal, right? That already makes you able to destroy whole fleets of firebenders." I realized that made me sound like Azula, but I kept going. "Do you isolate yourself because you think you're a freak?"

Much like the child she was, she nodded while looking at my boots.

"None of us think you're a freak." I said. "In fact, we want to get to know you better. We're your friends, Hana."

"I-I have f-friends?" Hana asked, sounding a lot like Sakura.

"Yep." I smiled. "Even though I'm a freak of nature, I'm your friend."

"You're not a freak." Hana said.

"I had a plant inside of me and half of my face doesn't work well." I said.

"Okay, maybe you _are_ a bit freaky." Hana giggled.

I stood and offered my hand. "After you, Ma'am."

Hana took my hand. "Thank you, sir."

We both laughed, and walked over to Sokka and Katara.

"Done." I said.

"Hey, look at this." Hana said, grabbing a doorknob. She ripped it form the metal door and changed it into the perfect likeness of a flower.

"That's amazing." I smiled, and Hana offered it to me. I put it on my wrist, and was surprised when a metal stem- complete with flowers -grew, surrounding my wrist.

"Why don't I get one?" Katara asked.

"Because Shinji's the one that talked to me." Hana said. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah." I admitted.

"It looks kind of girly." Sokka said.

"It does." Toph said, walking in.

"But you can't see it." Hana said.

"She's messing with you." I said. "Ignore her."

I shot up a flame wall, burning the rock that had flown at my head to ash.


End file.
